Comparing Drone and Vessel-Based Imaging to Quantify Epibiont Coverage on Humpback Whales

Isabel Taylor; Ticiana Fettermann; Barry McGovern; David Schoeman; Adrian McCallum; Stephanie H Stack

doi:10.1111/mms.70255

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Comparing Drone and Vessel-Based Imaging to Quantify Epibiont Coverage on Humpback Whales

Isabel Taylor, Ticiana Fettermann, Barry McGovern, David Schoeman, Adrian McCallum and Stephanie H Stack

Marine Mammal Science, Vol.42(4), pp.1-23

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70255

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Abstract

aerial imagery

color thresholding

commensal

ectoparasite

epizoite health assessments

Mysticet

proportional coverage

skin health

Cetacean epibionts offer noninvasive insights into host health, physiology, and spatial ecology, yet quantitative assessments in wild populations remain scarce. Although vessel-based observations may be limited by field of view and analyst input, unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs; drones) are increasingly used to monitor cetacean health indices, enhancing observational availability and reproducibility. However, the suitability of drones for quantifying epibiota has not been thoroughly evaluated. Implementing a standardized workflow, we compared dorsal proportional epibiont coverage estimates derived from drone-based imagery and traditional vessel-based techniques across reproductive classes of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). We analyzed 32 paired datasets using pixel-based methods, incorporating semiautomated graph-cut segmentation and iterative color-thresholding. Drone-derived estimates of epibiont coverage consistently exceeded vessel-based measures, which averaged 58% of the relative coverage estimated from corresponding drone imagery, partly attributable to variable lighting during image capture. Nevertheless, 94% of paired observations differed by less than 5% in absolute coverage, indicating strong agreement. While refinement of flight parameters, image resolution, and further validation are recommended, we demonstrate that drones can provide a reliable source of quantitative epibiont data, with potential applicability across diverse epibiont–host systems, benefiting cetacean population health monitoring programs and informing conservation strategies, particularly for elusive or understudied species.

Details

Title: Comparing Drone and Vessel-Based Imaging to Quantify Epibiont Coverage on Humpback Whales
Authors: Isabel Taylor - University of the Sunshine Coast
Ticiana Fettermann - Pacific Whale Foundation (Australia)
Barry McGovern - Pacific Whale Foundation (Australia)
David Schoeman - University of the Sunshine Coast
Adrian McCallum - University of the Sunshine Coast
Stephanie H Stack (Corresponding Author) - Griffith University
Publication details: Marine Mammal Science, Vol.42(4), pp.1-23
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1111/mms.70255
ISSN: 1748-7692
Copyright note: © 2026 The Author(s). Marine Mammal Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Marine Mammalogy. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Data Availability: The code supporting the findings of this study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The data supporting the findings of this study are owned by the Pacific Whale Foundation and are not publicly archived; access requests should be directed to the Research Program Director at research@pacificwhale.org.
Grant note: This work was supported by the Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Organisation Unit: K'gari Research Cluster; Cancer Research Cluster; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991251396202621
Output Type: Journal article

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