News Archive

The work of a UWA researcher featuring rare pictures of endangered blue whales has featured on national television.

Asha de Vos is a PhD student with UWA's Oceans Institute and the School of Environmental Systems Engineering.

A Channel 7 currents affairs team recently spent a week with Asha filming the magnificent creatures off the coast of Sri Lanka and telling the story of her research.

The blue whale is the largest animal known to have lived on earth; they can grow to some 30 metres and more than 150 tonnes; and at one stage were nearly hunted to extinction.

"My research focuses on understanding what the whales are doing around Sri Lanka and why they are here all year round," says Asha.

"Typically, blue whales migrate between high latitude feeding grounds and low latitude breeding and calving areas, but the majority of these guys don't seem to leave the Northern Indian Ocean.

"I am really keen to try to understand how the environment influences the ecology of the whale so what I do brings together the fields of physical oceanography and marine biology.

"There are just so many unknowns with this population because it's never been the subject of a long-term research project before - so I've got a huge task and an even bigger responsibility."

Filming the blue whales was a challenge, partly because of their shyness.

"During the week of shooting, the crew managed to get some of the best shots of Sri Lankan blues ever - the only footage of its kind," says Asha.

"These creatures are unlike the humpback and right whales that approach boats when you are in their vicinity. Blue whales are elusive, almost skittery, and will spend very little time checking you out.

"Every shot is a challenge and every moment is magical!"

The resulting pictures were broadcast nationally on the Sunday Night program on Channel 7 in early April and can be viewed on the program's website .

Asha's work and that of other blue whale scientists will also be featured in the BBC program ‘Ocean Giants' to be aired later this year.

Media references

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716