NASA Spots Plankton Swarms from Space to Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales
North Atlantic Right Whales are one of the world’s most endangered mammals. They face threats from fishing gear entanglement and ship collisions. Scientists are now using NASA satellite data to track the whales’ key food source, the red coloured plankton Calanus finmarchicus, in the Gulf of Maine. By identifying swarms of this copepod via its natural pigment, researchers hope to better understand whale migration. With new technology like the PACE satellite, future ocean monitoring could dramatically enhance whale conservation efforts.
