Drones for Whale Research: SnotBot
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Non-governmental organization (NGO)
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#OceanAction40843
Description
• Through its SnotBot program Ocean Alliance has developed a tool that can conduct a non-invasive health assessment of a whale (of particular importance when working with endangered populations).
• SnotBot has captured the imagination of the public and as a consequence it is making science and learning more accessible worldwide.
• Because of its low price point and ease of use we are democratizing science with drones.
• We are engaging students of all ages with science and technology.
To better understand the threats facing whales and our oceans and how to mitigate them we need to collect more and better data, including biological samples without adding further impact to the animals we are studying. Existing techniques for collecting this type of data can be invasive and stressful. We have demonstrated that drones can gather much more information about whale health less expensively than traditional means. Best of all, we have proven that SnotBot is a non-invasive tool: the whales don’t even know we are there.
Our flagship program, SnotBot, is a modified consumer drone that flies through the blow of a whale and collects exhaled breath condensate, or “snot,” on petri dishes. Whale blow contains a trove of valuable biological information: DNA, stress and pregnancy hormones, microbiomes and potentially many other indicators of the animal’s health and ecology.
By collecting DNA, we can better understand the genetic diversity and health of a population of whales (critical when whale population numbers are low).
By studying hormones, we can gain a variety of insights into an individual animal’s health. Reproductive hormones tell us the reproductive status of a whale (and by extension the reproductive health of a population). We are working to quantify stress hormones in blow. If we can determine explicitly what stresses a whale, it will transform our ability to understand what anthropogenic threats have the most impact on whales and work to mitigate these threats.
Through our SnotBot expeditions we have collected over 355 blow samples from six species of whale in five different countries and have partnered with laboratories across the USA to analyze the DNA, hormones, and microbiomes in the samples.
Marine mammals are often referred to as “sentinels” of ocean health. They play an important role in ocean environments as ecosystem engineers and even organic ocean fertilizers. In the fight against climate change, A 2019 analysis from the International Monetary Fund estimated that great whales are worth $1 trillion USD (around 2 million for each whale) in the fight against climate change. These animals are important, and it is crucial for the health of our planet that we protect them. The data SnotBot collects helps us recognize and mitigate threats to whales and our oceans.
Oregon State University (Academic Institution)
FLIR Systems (Private sector)
NOAA (Government)
CENAREST National Centre for Scientific Research, Gabon (Government)
Division of Oceanography and Marine Resources, Dominican Republic (Government)
Bahia de Loreto National Park, Mexico (Government)
Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas (NGO)
SDGS & Targets
Goal 15
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
15.1
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.1.1
15.1.2
15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.2.1
15.3
By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.3.1
15.4
By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development
15.4.1
15.4.2
15.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.5.1
15.6
Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed
15.6.1
15.7
Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.7.1
15.8
By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
15.8.1
15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.9.1
(a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting
15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.a.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.b.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.c
Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
15.c.1
Goal 8
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
8.1
8.1.1
Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita
8.2
Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.2.1
Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person
8.3
Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.3.1
Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex
8.4
Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.4.1
Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP
8.4.2
Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP
8.5
8.5.1
Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age and persons with disabilities
8.5.2
Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
8.6
8.6.1
Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment or training
8.7
Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.7.1
Proportion and number of children aged 5‑17 years engaged in child labour, by sex and age
8.8
Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.8.1
Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers, by sex and migrant status
8.8.2
Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislation, by sex and migrant status
8.9
By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.9.1
Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP and in growth rate
8.10
Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
8.10.1
(a) Number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and (b) number of automated teller machines (ATMs) per 100,000 adults
8.10.2
Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile-money-service provider
8.a
8.a.1
Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements
8.b
By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization
8.b.1
Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national employment strategy
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.1.1
(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density
14.2
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
14.2.1
Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas
14.3
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.3.1
14.4
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.4.1
14.5
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
14.5.1
14.6
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.6.1
Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
14.7
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
14.7.1
Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries
14.a
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
14.a.1
14.b
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
14.b.1
Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
14.c.1
Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.1 | By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution |
| 14.2 | By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans |
| 14.3 | Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels |
| 14.4 | By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics |
| 14.7 | By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism |
| 14.a | Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries |
| 14.c | Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want" |
Deliverables & Timeline
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
| Title | Progress Status | Submitted |
|---|---|---|
| Partnership Progress 2018-01-02 | On track |
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Other beneficiaries
All our SnotBot expeditions to date have been collaborative efforts: we work with local and regional partners, share our protocols, train them in our techniques, and leave them with a drone so that they can carry on the work themselves. This includes government groups such as the CENAREST national Centre for Scientific Research in Gabon, the Division of Oceanography and Marine Resources in the Dominican Republic, Bahia de Loreto National Park in Mexico, Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas in Argentina, and NOAA in the United States.
As we continue to develop our drones for whale research programs, we will position our expeditions in places where this affordable and safe technology is needed most. Whether that is with populations of critically endangered whales or with marine mammal researchers who do not have access to these types of research tools.
We are very active at academic conferences and events where we share our protocols and what we have learned. One of the primary ways we help others is through individual outreach. Through email, phone calls, and meetings we help others set up their own drone programs or solve problems they are having. By collaborating and sharing we are empowering researchers around the world to collect massive, complex, and globally comparable datasets. To date we have collaborated and or advised over 15 groups around the world on the best use of drones and our data collection protocols. We are confident that democratizing whale and ocean science in this way will lead to significant advances in our ability to protect whales across the globe.
Aside from this work assisting the work of other research institutions across the globe, the primary way in which the global public benefit from our work is through the environmental benefits this work produces. However, the benefits of the program go further than this.
SnotBot has proven itself a powerful tool for communicating science, enabling us to take people on a very authentic scientific adventure, while making science and learning more accessible worldwide.
Education has always been at the forefront of Ocean Alliances mission. Our education approach has focused on sharing the research we are doing on conserving whales and our oceans. Recently this has been done through school presentations, art and science collaborations, and TV programs like BBCs Blue Planet Live and National Geographics One Strange Rock. These programs have reached millions of people and we know that the SnotBot program continues to inspire people to protect whales and their habitat.
We believe learning and discovery happen best when they happen together and when students can participate rather than being observers to scientists working in an ivory tower. In the future, we plan on expanding our SnotBot expedition educational efforts. On each expedition we plan we will connect with a local school(s) and/or institution like museums and locl conservation organisations to teach a class on whales and their ocean environment and how we are studying them using SnotBot. We will also invite a local educator for a day on our research vessel to give them the full experience so they can disseminate what they have learned to their classrooms. Along with classroom work we will host a SnotBot Live event from the expedition location and stream a live video with the crew so we could provide updates from the field and answer questions from the public. We hosted our first SnotBot Live in 2019 from the Dominican Republic at Maritime Gloucester as a beta test. The event was a success and we envision that we can reach an even larger audience by streaming the event online and or with collaborating institutions. Post expeditions we will create education packets with photos, videos, and activities to distribute to teachers to use in the classroom.
As with all expeditions we will continue to work with other NGOs, policy makers, government agencies, local scientists and media partners to share the expedition experience and message of whale and ocean conservation. The goals of the education program are to build awareness of whales and our oceans, to engage and encourage kids to come up with their own ways (or new tools) to learn about our oceans and to encourage participation of an informed public in promoting lasting, effective conservation policies.
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Contact Information
Andy Rogan, Mr.