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Cornell Team Develops New Right Whale Estimation Method

Staff Report / FLXlocal.org

**Cornell Researchers Develop New Method to Estimate Endangered Right Whale Numbers**

A research team led by Cornell University has created an innovative technique to estimate the population of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. This new approach combines underwater microphones with machine learning (ML) technology to provide a potentially safer and more cost-effective way to monitor these whales, compared to traditional methods.

The focus of the study was on Cape Cod Bay, a key feeding ground where right whales gather every spring. By utilizing underwater sound recordings and machine learning processes alongside traditional aerial surveys, researchers demonstrated that it is possible to track the location and estimate the number of whales in the area.

Monitoring the population of North Atlantic right whales is essential for their conservation. Previous methods, like aerial surveys, can be both expensive and dangerous. While sound recordings have been used to detect whales' presence, Cornell scientists were able to refine this technique. Marissa Garcia, the study's lead author and a researcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, explained, “Using sound recordings to monitor whale populations isn’t new, but what makes our study unique is that we were able to take those recordings and go beyond getting information on the presence or absence of whales to getting an approximate number of whales in an area.”

This advancement provides a promising new tool to aid in the conservation efforts of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. By integrating sound detection, machine learning, and traditional survey methods, scientists may be better equipped to understand and protect these species.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Feb 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM

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