article · Marine Mammal Science
Epibionts on cetaceans offer valuable non-invasive indicators of animal health, physiology, and spatial ecology, yet quantitative data from wild populations remain rare. This research evaluates the use of unoccupied aerial vehicles, or drones, against traditional vessel-based observations to measure dorsal epibiont coverage on humpback whales. Using a standardised workflow across 32 paired datasets, images were analysed via semiautomated graph-cut segmentation and iterative colour-thresholding. Drone imagery yielded higher coverage estimates than boat-based imaging, with vessel estimates averaging 58 percent of the relative drone figures, partly due to variable lighting conditions. Despite this relative difference, 94 percent of paired observations differed by less than 5 percent in absolute coverage. Drones provide a reliable, reproducible method for gathering quantitative epibiont data, supporting population health monitoring and conservation planning for marine species.
Monitoring organisms living on whales provides vital clues about animal health and habitat conditions without physical disturbance. Demonstrating that drones deliver reliable, quantitative data enables conservationists and wildlife agencies to gather accurate health metrics from elusive or vulnerable marine species. This aerial approach improves reproducibility and field of view compared to conventional boat-based surveys.
This workflow offers an applied and tested methodology suitable for marine monitoring programmes, conservation agencies, and ecological survey operators. It demonstrates how drone imagery combined with semiautomated image processing can standardise wildlife health assessments. The technology remains at an applied research stage, requiring refinement of flight parameters, image resolution, and cross-species validation before it can be packaged into operational or commercial surveying software.
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ABSTRACT Cetacean epibionts offer noninvasive insights into host health, physiology, and spatial ecology, yet quantitative assessments in wild populations remain scarce. Although vessel‐based observations may be limited by field of view and analyst input, unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs; drones) are increasingly used to monitor cetacean health indices, enhancing observational availability and reproducibility. However, the suitability of drones for quantifying epibiota has not been thoroughly evaluated. Implementing a standardized workflow, we compared dorsal proportional epibiont coverage estimates derived from drone‐based imagery and traditional vessel‐based techniques across reproductive classes of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ). We analyzed 32 paired datasets using pixel‐based methods, incorporating semiautomated graph‐cut segmentation and iterative color‐thresholding. Drone‐derived estimates of epibiont coverage consistently exceeded vessel‐based measures, which averaged 58% of the relative coverage estimated from corresponding drone imagery, partly attributable to variable lighting during image capture. Nevertheless, 94% of paired observations differed by less than 5% in absolute coverage, indicating strong agreement. While refinement of flight parameters, image resolution, and further validation are recommended, we demonstrate that drones can provide a reliable source of quantitative epibiont data, with potential applicability across diverse epibiont–host systems, benefiting cetacean population health monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies, particularly for elusive or understudied species.
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DOI: 10.1111/mms.70255
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