Sharjah24- Reuters: Over two weeks at sea, the scientists spotted pilot whales and spinner dolphins, orcas and more. But not a single sperm whale had crested the choppy waters of the western Indian Ocean.
Then, an underwater microphone picked up a series of unmistakable clicks and squeaks. A large pod of the endangered whales was nearby. And from the sound of it, they were feeding.
The scientists are on a monthlong quest to document whales and other marine mammals living around the Mascarene Plateau, hoping to bolster arguments for protecting the remote 2,000-km underwater ridge to both fight climate change and protect ocean wildlife.
"We're actually generating some of the first baseline data for this area on marine megafauna, and that feels quite exciting," said Exeter University biologist Kirsten Thompson, one of the scientists on the Greenpeace research expedition.
For an optimal experience, please
