HAIKOU /China/, July 17. /TASS/. Researchers from the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ANC) have successfully completed an extensive expedition to study whales. This was reported by the Sanya Daily newspaper.
According to the newspaper, the project was carried out by the Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory of the Institute. This is its sixth expedition to study whales in the South China Sea. Scientists stayed in the open sea for 20 days, during which time their ship traveled more than 3.5 thousand kilometers.
The laboratory staff collected valuable samples of environmental DNA - genetic material left in the water by the inhabitants of the sea depths. During the voyage scientists studied 58 flocks of whales and dolphins, recorded their sound signals, made photo and video recordings.
Using these scientific data, it was possible to obtain important information about the water areas where these marine animals live, to analyze their habits, the article said. All this will allow to supplement and systematize the existing knowledge, to create a more complete picture of the fauna of the South China Sea, reports the publication.
The city of Sanya, where the laboratory is located, is one of the leading centers of deep-sea research and the development of ocean resources in the People's Republic of China . It is primarily related to the waters of the South China Sea, which contain huge reserves of hydrocarbons. In addition, scientific institutions of the city are actively involved in projects related to the study of underwater relief and fauna. In November 2020, the research vessel Tansuo-1 returned to the local port after completing an important mission in which the manned bathyscaphe Fendouzhe set a new Chinese record for diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, descending to a depth of more than 10.9 kilometers.