A deadly virus has been found in the breath of whales, and it is causing mass deaths among the mammals in the Arctic Circle. Researchers used drones to fly special equipment through exhaled droplets, known as ‘blows’, which are released when whales come up to breathe through their blowholes. So, what did the researchers find? (Picture: Getty)
They detected a highly infectious virus, known as cetacean morbillivirus, which has been linked to mass strandings of whales and dolphins worldwide. The researchers say that the virus can jump between species and poses a significant threat to marine mammals. And they hope that the findings, published in the journal BMC Veterinary Research, will help observers spot deadly threats to ocean life before they spread. (Picture: Getty)
Co-author Professor Terry Dawson said: ‘Drone blow sampling is a gamechanger. It allows us to monitor pathogens in live whales without stress or harm, providing critical insights into diseases in rapidly changing Arctic ecosystems.’ The researchers, which involved a team from King’s College London and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, deployed drones equipped with sterile petri dishes to hover over whale blowholes and capture respiratory droplets. (Picture: Getty)
They collected samples of blow as well as skin biopsies, and in one case, an organ sample from between 2016 and 2025, from humpback, sperm, and fin whales across the North Atlantic. They were collected and screened for infectious agents using molecular lab tests. The researchers say that the virus, which was first identified in dolphins, was found in a humpback whale group in northern Norway, a sperm whale showing poor health, and a stranded pilot whale. (Picture: Getty)
So, what does this virus do?
The cetacean morbillivirus causes severe damage to the respiratory, neurological and immune systems, and has led to multiple mass mortality events since it was first found in 1987. The researchers say that the findings also raise concerns about potential outbreak risks during dense winter-feeding aggregations as whales, seabirds, and humans interact closely. (Picture: Getty)
Humpback whales were also found to have herpes viruses around Norway, Iceland, and Cape Verde. However, there was no detection of avian influenza virus or Brucella bacteria, which have also been linked to strandings. Lead author Dr Helena Costa said: ‘Going forward, the priority is to continue using these methods for long-term surveillance, so we can understand how multiple emerging stressors will shape whale health in the coming years.’ (Picture: Getty)
The researchers hope that by studying respiratory whale microbes, they can put together how deadly diseases spread in whale populations. Although there aren’t protocols to treat a sick whale, managers can help them by reducing their stress during illness by temporarily altering shipping lanes to avoid them, for example. Or if a whale is carrying a disease that can spread to humans, governments can limit whale-people interactions. (Picture: Getty)Add as preferred source