New Delhi, India

When people across the world were struggling during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as they were forced to stay indoors in order to curb the spread of the deadly virus, a particular species was apparently thriving. 

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In a new paper, published in Marine Environmental Research, scientists found that eastern Australian humpback whales were healthier and less stressed during the first year of the pandemic. 

Dr Jake Linsky from the University of Queensland's School of the Environment led a study out of Moreton Bay Research Station. His aim was to measure the health of the species during a time of unprecedented change in human activity. 

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As quoted by phys.org, Dr Linsky said, "We used drone photographs and blubber samples to assess the health of eastern Australian humpback whales in the waters off Minjerribah—North Stradbroke Island—during their migration in 2020 and 2021." 

"This population has made one of the most successful recoveries from historical whaling, so we wanted to use the latest tools at our disposal to provide a check-up on their health," Dr Linsky added. 

The researchers sampled whale skin and blubber using darts in the waters off North Stradbroke Island, near Brisbane. 

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The study was published on Thursday (Jul 4). Its findings were similar with a study conducted shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre by experts from the New England Aquarium in Boston. 

At that time, planes and commercial ships ground to a halt after the attacks and the scientists found lower stress hormones in North Atlantic right whale faeces in the following weeks. 

"These are essential indicators of energy stores used during their long annual migration and intense breeding period," Dr Linsky said. 

"We also used small boats to approach whales and collect small samples of skin and blubber from the whales' flanks. These blubber samples were analyzed for hormones and gene expressions related to stress, energy reserves and immune health," Dr Linsky added. 

According to the researchers, findings about gene expression provide credence to the theory that the whales might have been reacting to a drop in pollution in their far-flung feeding areas. 

The paper said that this research confirms a Southern Ocean-wide decrease in whale stress during the study period and informs efforts to identify key stressors on Antarctic marine ecosystems. 

(With inputs from agencies)