GOM - What scientists saw after traveling 3,400 miles in the Gulf of Mexico
A Rice's whale was just one of the rare sightings researchers found on the 2-month-long expedition.
A recent expedition along 3,400 miles of deep waters in the northern Gulf of Mexicocould be the key to restoring the populations of some of the world's most precious marine mammals and birds. On June 22, a group of scientists aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Gordon Gunter ship embarked on the first of two surveys collecting data on the abundance of sea mammals and seabirds existing in the Gulf.
During the 2-month-long journey, which concluded in August, scientists divided into three teams each with its own focus and duties. Together, they were able to document nearly 400 marine mammal sightings among 20 species and record thousands of seabird sightings from 22 species. Among the most rare creatures encountered was a Rice's whale discovered in the northeastern Gulf. A critically endangered native Gulf species, Rice's whales were first recognized as a new species in 2021, relatively little is known about Rice's whales. In July, a Texas fisherman also spotted a Rice's whale in Galveston, though it's unclear if it is the same one recorded by the Gordon Gunter.
While some scientists kept visuals of the Rice's whale, other scientists working inside the ship used underwater microphones, known as hydrophones, to record its vocalizations. "The Rice's whale has a very low frequency, so their sounds get muffled with the sound of the vessel," said Shannon Merkle, an acoustician on the survey, in a statement. "It is challenging to hear them from the vessel. So, our team deploys SoundTraps to gain acoustic information on the species."
Learning about the Rice's whale can help reduce the impacts of human activities on the species, which include vessel collisions, oil spill impacts, noise impacts and fishery entanglements. "Getting multiple, clear photographs that identify the Rice's whale is critical to our knowledge of this endangered species," said Tony Martinez, chief field scientist, in a statement. "Making accurate identifications and expanding our knowledge about the species helps us to protect the population."
Another "special treat" for scientists on the trip was a sighting of a Fraser's dolphin. While not considered endangered, the marine mammal was far away from home as they are native to the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. During the voyage, sperm whales had the most individual sightings. However, in terms of number of animals, the survey observed more dolphins, including bottlenose and those belonging to the genus Stenella, such as pantropical spotted dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, Clymene dolphins and spinner dolphins.
