Three humpback whales play in the waters of Exmouth Gulf, WA, photographed from a drone for a research project looking at the condition of humpbacks in their calving season. 

Tens of thousands of humpback whales travel north from their Antarctic feeding grounds to give birth in warmer waters off WA’s northern coastline.

The distinctive white bellies of humpback whales can make them easy to identify in the water. Photos such as this one are being used by scientists to study the body condition of humpbacks during their calving season. 

Murdoch University researcher Dr Fredrik Christiansen flew an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, or drone, above humpback whales in the waters of Exmouth Gulf, WA, to get images such as this one.

Humpback whale populations are growing at a fast rate, following depletion due to whaling in the last century. Scientists are unsure how the species will fare when the population peaks, and are monitoring the whales’ conditions. 

Humpback whales are part of the baleen whale family, which also includes minke, right and blue whales.

Three humpback whales breach in the waters of Exmouth Gulf, WA, as seen from a drone hovering above them.

Photos such as this were taken from a drone for a research project done in collaboration between Murdoch University’s Dr Fredrik Christiansen and PhD candidate Lyn Irvine from the University of Tasmania. The project was carried out under a research permit from the Department of Parks and Wildlife and an Animal Ethics permit from Murdoch University.

Drones are being used to conduct research into the body condition of humpback whales – something that has traditionally been done through invasive, often lethal, methods. 

A mother and calf swim together in the protected waters of Exmouth Gulf, WA. 

Adult humpbacks complete their 11,000km migration from Antarctica every year to their breeding and birthing grounds off the Kimberley coast.

Dr Fredrik Christiansen, from Murdoch University, takes his drones (about 50cm across) on boats into Exmouth Gulf. Once the boat is within a few hundred metres of a humpback whale, he will fly the drone 30-50m above the whales.