Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to share our recent paper in Marine Mammal Science on the impacts of drones on beluga whales: “Fly with care: belugas show evasive responses to low altitude drone flights” Aubin, J. A., Mikus, M.-A., Michaud, R., Mennill, D., & Vergara, V. (2023). Fly with care: belugas show evasive responses to low altitude drone flights. Marine Mammal Science, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12997 Summary: Drones have become an important research tool for studies of cetaceans, providing valuable insights into their ecology and behavior. However, drones are also recognized as a potential source of disturbance to cetaceans, particularly when flown at low altitudes. In this study, we examined the impact of drones on endangered St. Lawrence belugas (*Delphinapterus leucas*), and reviewed drone studies of cetaceans to identify altitude thresholds linked to disturbance. We repurposed drone footage of free-living belugas taken at various altitudes, speeds, and angles-of-approach, and noted the animals' reactions. Evasive reactions to the drone occurred during 4.3% (22/511) of focal group follows. Belugas were more likely to display sudden dives during low-altitude flights, particularly flights below 23 m. Sudden dives were also more likely to occur in larger groups and were especially common when a drone first approached a group. We recommend that researchers maintain a lower altitude limit of 25 m in drone-assisted studies of belugas and approach larger groups with caution. This recommendation is in line with our literature review, which indicates that drone flights above 30 m are unlikely to provoke disturbance among cetaceans. *The paper can be accessed here:* https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12997 All the best, Jaclyn
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