University of 麻豆传媒 at 惭ā苍辞补 PhD student Fabien Vivier may have experienced the trip of his lifetime recently as part of a three-week expedition to Antarctica. The 麻豆传媒 Institute for Marine Biology student was part of a team that sailed from Chile to Antarctica to measure and observe humpback and fin whales. Vivier collaborated and operated drones as part of a large-scale research project led by , whose is based at University of California, Santa Cruz.
During eight days in Antarctica, the team measured and observed 16 humpback whales and two fin whales. They also collected audio data and tissue samples from killer, minke, humpback and fin whales. At the end of the Antarctic expedition, the team also spent three days in the Falkland Islands, where Vivier photographed other incredible wildlife including penguins, seals and dolphins.
, which includes a video and photos, and wrote, “I was fortunate to visit 12 magnificent Antarctic locations. The sunrises and sunsets were mind-blowing. The wildlife encountered was fantastic and I was able to encounter countless new species…”
All research activities were conducted in accordance with the following permits: NMFS-23095, ACA-2020-011 and IACUC-Friea1706.
—By Kelli Trifonovitch
See more stunning videos from the 麻豆传媒Marine Mammal Research Program
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- Rare video of newborn humpback whale from UH marine mammal research, January 31, 2019
- Stunning drone videos of humpback and gray whales aid new 麻豆传媒marine mammal research, November 4, 2018