From January 24th to February 20th, one of our postdocs, Renan Lima, participated in the 43rd Antarctic operation by the Brazilian Antarctic Program. The expedition, led by GOAL (High Latitude Oceanography – Grupo de Oceanografia de Altas Latitudes, in Portuguese) from the Federal University of Rio Grande, marked the first mission for the new projects Pro-Samba (Oceanographic Processes in Climate Hotspots of the Southern Ocean: New Synergies and Advances in Knowledge and Physical and Biogeochemical Monitoring around the Antarctic Peninsula) and ImpactAnt (Impact of Climate Change on the Biodiversity and Resilience of Marine Ecosystems in the Antarctic Peninsula Region).
During the observation effort, approximately 370 nautical miles were navigated. A total of 215 cetacean sightings (466 animals) were recorded during 35 hours and 25 minutes of observation. The species sighted included groups of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), and orcas (Orcinus orca). When possible, the team approached the cetacean groups using a Zodiac to obtain biopsies—valuable samples for ongoing investigations into their diet, genetics, and contamination status. Furthermore, a hydrophone was used at 50 oceanographic stations to record cetacean sounds at depths of up to 500 meters!
Both projects contribute data to a monitoring database spanning more than two decades of observations in the northern and western Antarctic Peninsula by the Brazilian Antarctic Program, aiding in a deeper understanding of the changing Antarctic environment.
Photo: A humpback whale exposing its fluke
® Renan Lima, ImpactAnt Project (Brazilian Antarctic Program)
Photo: A humpback whale crosses the Brazilian navy Polar Vessel H41 “Almirante Maximiano”.
® Renan Lima, ImpactAnt Project (Brazilian Antarctic Program)
