Drones reveal lethal morbillivirus in Arctic whales

Scientists detected cetacean morbillivirus in humpback whales off northern Norway by collecting whale "blow" with drones, marking the first identification of the virus in Arctic waters, researchers reported. The findings were published in mid-December in the journal BMC Veterinary Research.

The team used drones fitted with petri dishes to sample exhaled air from whales, a less invasive method than traditional skin biopsies. Between 2016 and 2025 researchers collected more than 50 blow samples from humpback, sperm and fin whales following migration routes in northern Norway, Iceland and Cape Verde.

Cesatean morbillivirus is highly infectious and can be deadly to porpoises, dolphins, whales and other marine mammals. It has caused outbreaks in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean, affecting respiratory and neurological systems and leading to mass strandings and deaths. The virus spreads through direct contact and respiratory droplets but does not always cause symptoms in infected animals.

Researchers noted the virus had not been reported inside the Arctic Circle before, and said that absence of prior detections may reflect gaps in surveillance rather than true absence. The team also tested samples for three other pathogens—H5N1 (bird flu), herpesvirus and the bacterium brucella.

Key Topics

Science, United States, Arctic, Whales, Drones, Morbillivirus, Marine Health