What studying whales in Antarctica can tell us about climate change 科學傢通過監測南極鯨魚研究氣候變化

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These are humpback whales in Antarctica.

畫面中看到的是南極座頭鯨。

Scientists say climate change could put their population at risk, so they are studying the whales to monitor changes.

科學傢們說，氣候變化可能會危及座頭鯨的數量，因此他們通過對鯨魚展開研究來監測變化。

The team uses a crossbow to take biopsies of whale tissue.

這個研究小組用弩取鯨魚組織進行活檢。

These biopsies provide information about health and pregnancy which helps them keep track of the whale population.

這些活檢結果可以提供有關鯨魚健康和懷孕方面的信息，幫助科學傢們監測鯨魚數量。

Dr Natalia Botero-Acosta, University of California Santa Cruz
“In years that we have low sea ice, then the following year, you have lower pregnancy rates, and that’s as good as it gets in getting to know the environment and getting to know the effects of all these conservation threats on the animals.”

娜塔莉婭·博特羅-阿科斯塔博士美國加利福尼亞大學聖克魯斯分校
“在海冰較少的年份，轉年鯨魚的懷孕率就會降低，能收集到這些信息已經非常好瞭，因為我們能以此瞭解生態環境的變化以及鯨魚面臨的生存威脅。”

The whales eat krill, which feed on microscopic plants in sea ice.

鯨魚以磷蝦為食，而磷蝦以海冰中的微小植物為食。

Drone images used to estimate the whales’ size indicate that they are losing weight as less sea ice means fewer krill to eat.

用於估算鯨魚體型大小的無人機影像顯示，這些鯨魚的體重正在減輕，這是因為海冰減少瞭，可供鯨魚食用的磷蝦數量也隨之減少。

The gold you see in the water is whale poo.

你看到的這些漂浮在水中的金色物體是鯨魚糞便。

It tells the team about the whales’ diet and toxin loads.

研究小組通過分析鯨魚糞便可以得知它們的飲食結構和體內的毒素含量。

Dr Sarah Kienle, Baylor University, Texas
“Liquid gold!”

莎拉·基恩勒博士美國德克薩斯州貝勒大學
“看著就像液體黃金！”

AYYBLOG Reporter
“Is that what I think it is?”