Drone Sampling Confirms First Arctic Detection of Cetacean Morbillivirus

Scientists have successfully employed unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to non-invasively sample the respiratory exhalations, known as 'blow,' from large whales, marking a significant methodological advance in marine biology for assessing internal health status. This technique circumvents the ethical and logistical difficulties associated with capturing or directly contacting massive marine mammals for biological collection. The expelled plume contains microscopic droplets rich with biological traces, including cells and viruses from the respiratory system, offering a valuable source for wellness indicators.

This innovative aerial surveillance method was central to an international study that confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic agent north of the Arctic Circle for the first time, raising immediate conservation concerns. Researchers fitted consumer drones with sterile Petri dishes to briefly fly through the spout as a whale surfaced, capturing the necessary material for subsequent laboratory analysis. The finding, published in BMC Veterinary Research, specifically detected the cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) in the remote Arctic region.

CeMV is linked to multiple mass mortality events among cetaceans globally since its initial identification in 1987, inflicting severe damage across the respiratory, neurological, and immune systems of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The collaborative research effort, led by Nord University with partners including King's College London and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, conducted sampling across the Northeast Atlantic between 2016 and 2025. The study targeted humpback, sperm, and fin whales across diverse latitudes, including northern Norway, Iceland, and the Cape Verde archipelago.

Specific analysis confirmed CeMV signatures in humpback whale groups observed in northern Norway, a sperm whale showing signs of poor health, and a stranded pilot whale. The detection of this virus in high-latitude populations underscores the vulnerability of Arctic ecosystems, particularly as warming seas may facilitate increased species overlap and pathogen transmission. Beyond the morbillivirus, the analysis also identified herpesviruses in humpback whales sampled across the Norwegian, Icelandic, and Cape Verdean sites, though no evidence of avian influenza virus or the bacterium Brucella was found.

Professor Terry Dawson of King's College London noted that the drone blow sampling technique facilitates ethical, scalable monitoring of pathogens in live animals, which is crucial for early detection and timely conservation interventions before widespread die-offs occur. Helena Costa, a lead author from Nord University, stressed the priority of continuing this long-term monitoring to understand how multiple emerging stressors will affect whale health in the coming years. This integration of aerial technology with molecular screening represents a significant step forward in mobilizing research capabilities to safeguard these immense marine species.