Dalhousie University technology helping track North Atlantic right whales

By Jean Marc Samson

HALIFAX – Researchers at Dalhousie University are using underwater machines to track North Atlantic right whale movements in hopes of reducing ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements.

Since Jun. 7, 10 dead right whales have been found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The underwater technology is known as a slocum glider. Dalhousie currently has two in the Gulf of St. Lawrence,and  with the help of planes they are monitoring whale movements and listening to their sounds.

Kimberlie Davies from Dalhousie tells NEWS 95.7 their efforts are aiming to help reduce the number of casualties in the water.

“These kind of monitoring data are really critical” to saving the whales, Davies said.

Davies says going forward, they are planning for the long term, being proactive rather than reactive.

She says there still remains a lot of questions and details to figure out, but they’re hoping their work will help protect the whales going forward.

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