DNA and the male or female hormones out
of them, then yes, we can say that it totally
works, even with that small amount. We want
to show that you don’t need much, that every
little drop tells a story.”
As we approach the pod again to attempt
another sample, something happens. A large
whale from the nearby group, presumably a
bull, suddenly slams a few thunderous tail
slaps down. We can hear and almost feel
the powerful impact and resulting sound
even from half a kilometre away. Just ahead
of us, the lead whale in the pod we are
pursuing instantly reacts, turning its body
left and gouging the surface as it moves - it
looks like one of those old photos of aircraft
carriers doing high-speed rigid manoeuvres.
This alerts Olaf and he tries to theorise what
happened as our pod now almost doubles
back to join the other pod, making a sort of
mini pod. We assume these whales are from
the same group to begin with and someone
has just called the kids home, so to speak.
It’s a great example and timely reminder that
we are dealing with not only some of the
most graceful, but also the most powerful
wild animals on the entire planet. Yet they are
still so vulnerable, and I am told the instances
of disease and sickness are just as prevalent
with humpbacks as they are for us humans,
and it is in that revelation that the purpose
for this expedition becomes all the more clear
according to Olaf “One of the ideas was to also capture the
bacterial DNA of course, and the viruses
that are in the whale’s lungs. Lately we’ve
encountered more and more animals with skin
diseases, and we’re finding there are more
and more whales that seem to be getting a
fungal or bacterial infection, just behind the
Shearwater birds are incredible in the way that they harness the differential changes
in the air that occur just on the surface of the water - a spectacular flyer capable of
extreme long distances, they are able to utilise the updrafts on the face of waves
and seas to energise their flight, whilst somehow avoiding impact at high speed.
Often this occurs with just millimetres to s pare // Photo Luke Sorensen