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Harnessing Data Science for Marine Conservation

Erin Eckles
 

With fewer than 370 North Atlantic right whales remaining, protecting these endangered marine giants is an urgent global priority. Their survival is threatened by ship collisions, habitat disruption, and climate-driven changes to migration patterns. To address these challenges, scientists at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) are turning to cutting-edge data analysis tools to monitor whale populations and mitigate human impact.

At the heart of this effort is NV5’s IDL® software, a powerful scientific programming environment that is being used to revolutionize whale detection, acoustic analysis, and conservation strategies.

 

How IDL Is Transforming Whale Conservation

NOAA scientist, Genevieve Davis worked with Atle Borsholm, NV5 Lead Professional Services Consultant, as well as marine ecologist Mark Baumgartner from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), to develop an automated acoustic detection system that processes massive amounts of underwater microphone data to track whale populations in real time.

Why It Matters

Traditionally, analyzing acoustic data was an incredibly time-consuming process, requiring scientists to manually sift through recordings, often taking months or years to extract insights. With IDL, NOAA can rapidly process, classify, and analyze whale calls, significantly reducing processing times and expanding detection capabilities.

 

This process combines advanced automation with scientist-driven insights to enable:

  • High-Volume Data Processing: IDL processes terabytes of acoustic data daily, rapidly identifying whale species and their unique calls with incredible precision.

  • Species Differentiation: The system can automatically classify calls, such as the fin whale's 20-Hz pulse or the right whale's upcall, with confidence levels displayed for scientists to review.

  • Manual Validation and Reclassification: IDL empowers researchers to interactively explore detections, listen to calls, and refine classifications using spectral visualizations for accuracy.

  • Custom Reporting: The system generates tailored reports to track species behaviors, migration patterns, and anomalies over time, providing actionable insights for conservation strategies.

Real-World Impact: Preventing Ship Collisions & Protecting Ecosystems

One of the most critical applications of IDL-based whale detection is in reducing ship strikes, a leading cause of whale mortality. Here is how it works:

  • Shipping Lane Modifications: Acoustic detections help identify right whale migration routes, allowing policymakers to modify shipping lanes and reduce the risk of fatal collisions.

  • Speed Reduction Zones: NOAA uses real-time whale detections to enforce Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs) – zones where ships must slow down if whales are detected. Studies show that reducing ship speed significantly reduces fatal strikes.

  • Automated Alerts to Shipping Companies & Governments: Through real-time acoustic platforms, NOAA can send instant alerts to vessels and government agencies, notifying them of whale presence and recommending proactive measures.

Robots4Whales: Autonomous Monitoring in Action

A key component of this initiative is the Robots4Whales project, led by Baumgartner at WHOI. This project employs autonomous platforms equipped with the Digital Acoustic Monitoring Instrument (DMON) and a low-frequency detection and classification system (LFDCS) to monitor whale populations in near real time. These platforms include:

Slocum Gliders: Autonomous underwater vehicles for silent, long-duration monitoring.

Moored Buoys: Stationary platforms providing continuous data collection in strategic locations.

Profiling Floats: Drifting instruments for long-term, broad-area acoustic surveys.

 

By transmitting data via satellite to shore-based researchers, conservation teams can respond faster than ever before, ensuring timely interventions. Recent detections have already led to improved management strategies for fin and humpback whales.

 

Interactive Whale Data: The Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map

The Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map (PACM) shows when and where specific whale, dolphin, and other cetacean species were detected in the North Atlantic Ocean based on passive acoustic monitoring. Users can view detection trends, analyze species distribution patterns, and explore interactive data tools.

 

IDL Workflow for Whale Call Identification

Step 1: Automated Detection Process

  • The IDL workflow automatically processes tens of gigabytes of raw acoustic data.

  • The system detects patterns in frequency to identify distinct whale calls.

The image to the left displays the main tools used for the process.

Step 2: Spectral Representation of Whale Calls

Below is an example of what the spectral representation of some whale calls look like:

This selected call occurred at 16:01:55 UTC, with three classifications given with their respective probability and mahalonobis distance (Mdist) for that call type classification. This call was auto classified as a type 2 (Sei whale high down sweep) call with a 78% confidence and Mdist of 4, type 17 (humpback whale downsweep) with a probability of 20% and Mdist of 3.3, and at 0.02% probability and 5.4 Mdist it could be type 1.  The lower Mdist a classification receives, the more closely it resembles the call type. In this case, call type 17 has the lowest Mdist and thus best classifies the humpback whale song call correctly.

Step 3: Manuel Review & Reclassification

  • Researchers can quickly browse detections, play back sound recordings, and visually analyze spectral data.

  • If needed, they can manually reclassify any detected calls for improved accuracy.

Expanding IDL’s Potential for Global Conservation

The success of IDL in whale conservation is just one example of how it’s being used. Here are a few other examples:

  • Space Exploration: NASA uses IDL to analyze satellite data for space exploration and Earth monitoring.

  • Medical Imaging: Medical researchers leverage IDL to improve MRI image analysis and disease detection.

  • Climate Science: Oceanographers apply IDL to study climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.

Since the technology behind IDL is continually innovated, it will play a vital role in the future of global environmental conservation, helping researchers process vast datasets, uncover new insights, and protect Earth’s most vulnerable species.

 

Protecting Species and Ecosystems

The urgency to protect North Atlantic right whales has never been greater. With NV5’s solutions, researchers and conservationists have the tools needed to make data-driven decisions that save lives and protect ecosystems. Want to learn more? Contact NV5 today to explore how IDL technology can advance conservation, research, and data analysis efforts. 

 

Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries/Peter Duley

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