NOAA Fisheries scientists, in collaboration with Google AI, have successfully identified the source of a unique whale call known as the 'Biotwang'. Using machine learning to analyze thousands of hours of acoustic recordings from the western North Pacific, they discovered that the calls are made by Bryde's whales.
NOAA Fisheries identified that Bryde’s whales are the source of a new whale call in the western North Pacific. Working with Google AI, we used machine learning to sort through thousands of hours of acoustic recordings and identify when and where these calls occur..” Without visual observers to identify the source of the sound, they guessed that it might be made by a baleen whale, but could not determine the species.
That’s where Google stepped in. NOAA scientists worked with Google to use AI and machine learning to analyze the immense passive acoustic monitoring datasets. With the help of AI and machine learning, we were able to identify where and when Biotwangs were recorded in past acoustic data. Thanks to AI we were able to do it in a matter of hours, rather than years. The .
We identified a consistent seasonal presence of Biotwangs only in the Mariana Archipelago and to the east at Wake Island. This suggests the Biotwang may be a call specific to a western North Pacific population of Bryde’s whales. Knowing that Biotwangs are produced by a specific population helps us to monitor the distribution of that population.
The seasonal occurrence of Biotwangs is consistent with Bryde’s whales migrating between low and mid-latitudes. There is a small peak between February and April, and a larger peak between August and November, as the whales travel past the recording sites. These peaks vary from year to year. There were a lot of Biotwangs in 2016, during a strong El Niño year, and almost none heard in 2021, a La Niña year.
Technology Whalecalls Brydeswhales AI Machinelearning Acousticmonitoring
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