Indonesia – Researchers marked a milestone in marine science by deploying the first drone-based satellite tag on a pygmy blue whale, exposing an uncharted pathway through vital ocean corridors.
A World-First Feat in the North Wetar Sea
A World-First Feat in the North Wetar Sea (Image Credits: Imgs.mongabay.com)
On October 13, 2025, a team of 20 scientists celebrated in Naikliu waters, East Nusa Tenggara, after a drone successfully attached a lightweight LIMPET satellite tag to the massive mammal. This approach, launched from 300 meters away, contrasted sharply with traditional methods that required boats to close within 10 meters using poles, air guns, or crossbows.
The expedition, part of the Marine Migratory Species Expedition 2025, involved Konservasi Indonesia, Thrive Conservation, the Elasmobranch Institute, and universities from Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Nine prior attempts failed before success arrived in a fleeting two-second window following the whale’s blow. Oceanologist Mochamad Iqbal Herwata described the moment: “Landing the tag was an unforgettable moment.”
Cetologist Putu Liza Mustika noted the drone’s advantage: “The drone is much less intrusive than [the] air gun.” The tag, akin to a bee sting in impact, recorded depth, position, and water temperature for 10 days before transmission ceased.
Uncharted Paths Emerge from the Data
The pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda), smaller than its Antarctic relatives and adapted to warmer Indian Ocean waters, revealed more than 2,000 kilometers of its southern journey. Contrary to expectations, the whale lingered in the Savu Sea rather than racing toward Australia, highlighting a new feeding site and an undocumented route toward the South Antarctic.
This path traversed the Lesser Sunda Seascape, including the Ombai Strait and shipping lanes, areas dense with human activity. Researchers uncovered details through the Ombai Strait, a critical yet mysterious segment of the migration between Indonesia and western Australia.
Such insights filled longstanding gaps. As Michele Thums of the Australian Institute of Marine Science explained, “A big data gap for us… is the migration routes and behaviour of the whales on their southern migration.”
Navigating Threats in Busy Waters
Pygmy blue whales face ship strikes, ocean noise, and climate-driven sea temperature rises amid their travels. The tracked individual navigated seaweed cultivation zones and high-traffic lanes, underscoring collision risks.
- Ship strikes in congested corridors like the Ombai Strait.
- Noise pollution disrupting communication and foraging.
- Climate change altering prey distribution in tropical habitats.
- Bycatch and entanglement in fishing gear.
- Habitat loss from coastal development.
These findings support targeted protections. Indonesia established the West Wetar Marine Protected Area in December 2025, spanning 325,238 hectares along the route.
Charting a Course for Regional Conservation
The drone method promises broader application. Experts like Robert Harcourt anticipate it becoming standard: “I am confident that within a few years [drones] will be the default method.” Timor-Leste plans similar tagging in 2026 to map northbound and southbound movements.
Herwata emphasized the stakes: “These insights are already helping us understand how pygmy blue whales move… and how we can better protect them.”
Key Takeaways
- Drone tagging minimizes stress, enabling ethical data collection on elusive migrations.
- New routes through the Lesser Sunda Seascape demand cross-border marine protections.
- Expanded efforts could safeguard this resilient yet vulnerable subspecies.
This discovery reframes pygmy blue whale conservation, bridging knowledge gaps across nations. What do you think this means for ocean protection? Tell us in the comments.
