OUR VIRTUAL RESEARCH SURVEYS
Background info:
The circumstances around COVID have made it difficult for us to go out to sea and look for orcas. We usually collect our data during public whale watching tours, and have been monitoring the Icelandic killer whale population in the Breiðafjörður area year-round since 2014. Due to a lack of passengers for the public trips, we missed out on the most important months for orca sightings in 2020.
We have now come up with this new concept that allows you to follow our work in real time online, in exchange for a small donation. Your contribution will go toward funding our essential research and conservation work and help us continue these surveys in the future. It enables us to re-confirm individual orcas who have returned to our area, and to keep track of new calves or even some completely new individuals that are visiting West Iceland. We record movements, behavior and group structure of these magnificent animals in a non-invasive way.
PAST SURVEYS
07.03.2021 – Orca Research Pre-Survey
Onboard experts: Marie Mrusczok, Karl O’Neill
Boat captains: Gísli Ólafsson, Joséphine Mayr
Summary: Our first survey of the year lasted 10 hours and was very successful. We identified 52 individual orcas and spotted several other species, such as fin whales, sperm whales, and humpback whales.
30.03.2021 – Orca Research Survey 01 (highlighted species: European eel)
Your host: Emily Widdecombe
Onboard experts: Marie Mrusczok, Karl O’Neill
Guest speaker: Sara Rodríguez Ramallo
Boat captains: Gísli Ólafsson, Joséphine Mayr
Summary: Our first official survey lasted 11 hours and was great fun! We had the Icelandic national TV (RÚV) onboard. They were filming an episode of the popular TV show “Landinn” on Marie’s work. We identified 40 individual orcas, and also spotted two humpback whales. Guest speaker Sara Rodríguez Ramallo delivered a great presentation on her research topic, the European eel.
06.04.2021 – Orca Research Survey 02 (highlighted species: Arctic tern)
Your host: Emily Widdecombe
Onboard experts: Marie Mrusczok, Karl O’Neill
Guest speaker: George Cowan
Boat captains: Gísli Ólafsson, Joséphine Mayr
Summary: Our second research survey lasted 7 hours; this time we had to do quite a bit of searching before we found orcas. We identified 18 individuals and were greeted by a pod of white-beaked dolphins towards the end of the journey. Guest speaker George Cowan told us about the Arctic tern and his amazing experiences with these little birds.
13.04.2021 – Orca Research Survey 03 (highlighted species: humpback whale)
Your host: Stefan Wrabetz
Onboard experts: Marie Mrusczok, Karl O’Neill
Guest speaker: Judith Scott
Boat captains: Gísli Ólafsson, Joséphine Mayr
Summary: On our third official research survey, we spent 7 hours on sea and identified 37 individual orcas. We recorded a big feeding aggregation and followed the orcas on their way west along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Our guest speaker was Judith Scott, who gave us a thorough introduction to the world of the humpback whale, and even showed us a humpback whale vertebrae.
11.05.2021 – Orca Research Survey 04 (highlighted species: blue whale)
Your host: Stefan Wrabetz
Onboard expert: Marie Mrusczok
Guest speaker: Judith Scott
Boat captains: Gísli Ólafsson, Joséphine Mayr
Summary: On this survey, we scouted Breiðafjörður for 10 hours. We were first greeted by a small group of white-beaked dolphins, and then quickly encountered a pod of travelling orcas, followed by more and more individuals that all seemed to make their way towards the East. We, once again, had cetacean expert Judith Scott onboard with us, giving us insights into the lives of blue whales.