SPACEWHALE

BioConsult SH GmbH & Co. KG

SPACEWHALE

By counting whales from space using satellite imagery and AI, we can study unexplored areas and accelerate Marine Protected Area designations.

25 Husum, Deutschland

Germany

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

There is an ambitious global goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 and since COP15, a goal to halt biodiversity loss. However, only 8.1% of the ocean is protected and over 80% are still unexplored. We urgently need to collect data for evidence-based decision-making to help tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises and to support coastal communities. But mapping these areas and key indicator species like whales using ship-based and aerial surveys tend to be limited in scale/scope, time-consuming, expensive and pose safety risks to surveyors; while acoustic monitoring is difficult to convert into counts of individuals for most species. Our service SPACEWHALE can overcome these challenges by using state-of-the-art technologies. We can answer key questions about where most whales are and how many there are to provide baseline data for the implementation of conservation measures.

Monitoring whales from space using satellite imagery can overcome challenges of traditional survey methods. In this way, their number and distribution can be determined quickly and over wide areas, yet at similar costs to traditional survey methods. Therefore, BioConsult SH and HiDef Aerial Surveying Ltd developed the service SPACEWHALE. SPACEWHALE uses very high-resolution satellite imagery with a resolution of 0.31 m per pixel. It takes a “snapshot” of the ocean area of interest and can capture very large and remote areas almost instantaneously. We teamed up a semi-automatic process to evaluate satellite images combining state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and marine mammal experts’ quality assurance. We can answer key questions about how many whales, which species and when do they inhabit certain areas. By studying previously unexplored areas, we can accelerate the designation of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - key tools in helping tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises and supporting coastal communities. Our collaboration with WDC helps us ensure that data is effective for leading global conservationists and gets into the hands of global decision makers.

Science shows that whales are key to healthy ocean ecosystems and play a crucial role in the oceanic carbon cycle - therefore helping whale populations to recover is vital to climate mitigation and biodiversity strategies. In fact, restoring just one species, blue whales, to the numbers seen 200 years ago could have the same positive impact as planting more than 280 million trees. The UN recognises oceanic biodiversity is crucial to coastal communities globally, providing livelihoods and social and environmental benefits. SPACEWHALE is focused on key species (many of which are threatened or endangered) and through our pilot, is assessing tens of thousands of hectares which have been identified by WDC as biodiversity hotspots needing protection (several of which are in the Global South).