> It takes a lot of skill and expertise to place a suction-cupped data-logger onto a killer whale.
> The most difficult part of tagging a whale is piloting the vessel into the proper position next to the whales. Fortunately, we have a skipper with years of whale-watching experience to safely navigate near them. He starts each approach by analysing the behaviour of the whales to establish their swimming speed and heading. He will then parallel them and gently slide towards an individual until we are at just the right distance. Any harassment or sudden movements on our part, would cause the whale to avoid us. They are very aware of our presence and behaviour ---- they just don’t know our intent.
> Polarized sunglasses helps the tagger standing in the pulpit at the front of the Steller Quest to see the whales underwater. As he senses that the whale is coming to the surface to breathe, he will lower a very long pole (25.5 ft, ~8 m) and place the tag near the dorsal fin.
> The carbon fiber pole holding the tag only weighs about 10 lbs (4.5 kg), and the tag is about 2 lbs (0.9 kg). However as the pole is lowered to a horizontal position, the weight of this 2-lb tag (as felt by the tagger at the pivot point of the pole) increases to about 100 lbs (45 kg). The tagger’s front arm on the pole feels it is lifting 100 lbs, while his back arm pushes down against 100 lbs of force to counter balance the pole. It takes incredible strength and skill.
> All four suction cups need to be pushed firmly against the whale. To a person, it would feel like being pushed or shoved as the suction cups are pushed flat. However, to a 3,000 kg (~6,500 lb) killer whale, it appears to be a relatively soft touch. Some killer whales shudder briefly when touched, while others show no reaction. However, all of the whales we have tagged continue about their business seemingly unaware of the hitchhiker they just picked up. To a killer whale, the weight of the tag is like the weight of a wedding ring worn by a person.
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