For the first time, scientists have discovered that the microbes in a whale’s breath can reveal vital clues about its health.
The research, published in The ISME Journal, offers hope for protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, whose global population has fallen to fewer than 400 individuals, making it one of the rarest whale species in the world.
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Collecting whale breath
Between 2016 and 2024, researchers used drones to collect 103 respiratory samples from 85 whales in Cape Cod Bay, a large body of water off the coast of Massachusetts, USA.
To obtain the samples, they attached petri dishes to the drones and then flew them through the breath exhaled by the whales through their blowholes.
The samples showed that the microbial matter in the whales’ breath contains unique patterns that reflect the health and condition of each animal.
“This is a major step forward in developing new approaches for monitoring wildlife health,” says Carolyn Miller, a large whale biologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and a lead author of the study. “By studying the microbes in their breath, we can begin to develop a non-invasive diagnostic tool that tells us how whales are doing without ever having to touch them.”
Each microbial sample was paired with detailed health data, including body condition assessed from drone photography, visual health assessments and long-term survival models, to offer an overall picture of each whale’s wellbeing.
“Being able to measure whale health is a critical step towards assessing the effects of multiple stressors on these animals and, ultimately, come up with management solutions that can ensure their conservation,” says Enrico Pirotta, co-lead author and statistical ecologist at the University of St Andrews.
As right whales continue to face threats from ship strikes, fishing gear and climate-driven ocean changes, the team believes the findings could provide a vital new tool for safeguarding their future.
Find out more about the study: Respiratory microbiomes reflect whale health, published in The International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME) Journal.
Top image: Drone image of North Atlantic right whale in Cape Cod Bay. Credit: Photo courtesy NEAq/WHOI,NMFS/NOAA Permit #21371
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