By Heather Wilcox | Director of Annual Giving & Advancement Services
Thank you for supporting Earthwatch’s Killer Whales and their Prey in Iceland research expedition. Dr. Filipa Samarra has completed her analysis of the data collected during the 2017 season, which was the first in this first-of-its-kind study of killer whales. Below, Dr. Samarra recaps the season and expresses her gratitude for your generosity that made this exciting new study possible.
In this first field season, we were joined by 5 teams totaling 30 volunteers. With your support, this was the first year that we had extended fieldwork from June to August, and there were many unknowns as to what we would (or would not!) see. Through land- and boat-based observations we discovered that killer whales occur in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago (South Iceland) throughout the summer, and were mostly observed feeding on herring.
We sighted a number of other cetaceans, including the largest one of all - the blue whale. What made this an amazing observation was that this was a species we had never before sighted in our study area! We also observed repeated interactions between pilot whales and killer whales and aggregations of feeding minke whales when the sea was “bubbling” with zooplankton, to name a few. This significantly contributed to our understanding of the importance of this marine ecosystem, particularly for marine mammals.
Our main challenge, as always in Iceland, was the weather! In days of storms, high seas and heavy winds, volunteers took part in data processing in the office. These times also gave us a chance to have more in-depth discussions about the behavior of the whales. We really appreciated the enthusiasm and dedication of the volunteers for participating in all aspects of the work, from the boat to the land station and office. In all, we were able to collect valuable new information about species occurrence in the area, as well as killer whale feeding behavior throughout the summer months.
We feel very privileged to have shared this experience with you. Thank you for investing in our work as a donor. Takk fyrir! Our very best wishes to you all.
Until next season,
Dr. Filipa Samarra
Earthwatch Lead Scientist
Want to learn more? Follow the link below to read the full results and conclusions of the 2017 research season. And remember - you don't just have to read about this research from afar... you can be at the center of the action as an Earthwatch research volunteer! Visit the expedition sign up page to join our waitlist for the 2018 or 2019 seasons.
Thank you again for your generosity and commitment to conserving threatened marine ecosystems!
With gratitude,
Heather Wilcox
Director of Annual Giving & Advancement Services
hwilcox@earthwatch.org
978-450-1208
Links:
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