Two scientists from the University of New Brunswick are gearing up for another research expedition in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to study the endangered North Atlantic right whales. Coincidentally, their upcoming trip aligns with the launch of a documentary series on Apple TV+ showcasing six of the world’s most endangered species.
Kim Davies, an associate professor specializing in biological sciences, contributed to the episode focusing on the North Atlantic right whales, describing the production as the largest project she has been involved in to date.
The documentary series, titled “The Wild Ones,” highlights various endangered animals, including Malayan tigers, Gobi bears, Javan rhinos, Caucasian leopards, western lowland gorillas, and North Atlantic right whales. Produced by Offspring Films based in the UK, the series premiered on July 11.
Davies leads a research program dedicated to studying the right whales residing in the waters of New Brunswick during spring, summer, and fall. With only approximately 350 North Atlantic right whales remaining, and a dwindling number of reproducing females, the population falls significantly below the recovery target.
The research team embarks on annual expeditions to conduct diverse projects, incorporating new technology such as drones to tag the whales. By utilizing drones equipped with cameras to drop tags onto the whales, the researchers can capture underwater footage for analysis.
Last summer, a film crew from “The Wild Ones” accompanied the researchers during the tagging process, filming from their own boat and joining the researchers on Davies’s vessel to capture the underwater perspective. The underwater footage obtained during the expedition forms a crucial part of the documentary.
Collaborating with researchers from Dalhousie University and Ocean Alliance, the team was responsible for affixing cameras on the whales to capture underwater footage. The Canadian Whale Institute and Fisheries and Oceans Canada also played pivotal roles in the documentary’s production.
Jillian Carter, a graduate student at UNB, conducted her own research on the dietary habits of right whales during the expedition. Understanding the whales’ feeding patterns, particularly their consumption of copepods, tiny marine crustaceans, is essential for their conservation.
While not directly involved in tagging or filmmaking, Carter expressed her awe at the experience of being part of the expedition and working alongside an Apple TV+ film crew.
The underwater footage captured not only benefits the documentary but also aids scientists in comprehending the behavior and habitat utilization of right whales. Researchers aim to unravel the mysteries behind how whales get entangled in fishing gear underwater.
Despite previous collaborations on right whale documentaries, Davies believes that having an episode dedicated to the whales on a widely accessible platform like Apple TV+ will raise awareness and educate audiences globally about these majestic creatures.
