Despite the ocean taking up the majority of our planet’s surface, we know very little about the undersea environment. Researchers and scientists are working really hard to preserve the environment and understand the rest of the globe. But on a typical Sri Lankan workday, while marine biologist Asha de Vos was out in the open sea, the crew noticed something odd in the water. When they initially arrived, they had no idea what they had run into, but once they had landed, they couldn’t believe what they would discover once they were back at work. Let’s plunge in and learn Sri Lanka’s undersea secret.
Marine Biologist Uncovers An Underwater Secret After Something Fishy Caught Her Attention
The First and Only One with a PhD
Asha de Vos wasn’t your typical marine biology graduate. She had been successful in earning a PhD in the area. If that wasn’t amazing enough for you, she is also the first and only Sri Lankan to have ever received a PhD in this area. It is evident that she has a strong connection to her own country, and for many years she has decided to concentrate her studies on researching and conserving Sri Lanka and the northern Indian Ocean.
The First And Only One With A PhD
She Packed Up Her Passion and Knowledge
We’ll get back to that later. She was on a roll in the business, winning several accolades and prizes for her marine research. The secret to any kind of research, but notably marine biology, is enthusiasm. When she went back home to begin her studies, the aquatic ecosystem of her own nation was still mostly a mystery. She then set off on her quest to discover the ocean’s hidden mysteries. She prepared her knowledge and desire before setting sail with her crew.
She Packed Up Her Passion And Knowledge
Dangerous To Discover
It was evident that Asha de Vos had a genuine passion for what she did given that she was the first and only person in her nation to get a doctoral degree in this sector. She chose to labor in the waters of her own country, but there was something even more meaningful about that decision. The oceans surrounding Sri Lanka were inaccessible from 1983 until 2009. Additionally, there were marine mines spread and camouflaged all over the region, making it exceedingly dangerous to explore the ocean. However, de Vos and her group were unaffected by this. They were thrilled to get the opportunity to explore the seas after more than twenty years.
Dangerous To Discover
A Rare Territory To Explore
Despite the fact that Asha de Vas was a seasoned player, she was fully aware that the North Indian Ocean was a region that was not frequently explored. The quantity of information known about the water is extremely restricted since the nearby nations lack the financial resources required to support aquatic missions. De Vos’ experience was made much more thrilling by this, nevertheless! She was prepared for everything that came her way both academically and professionally. By February 2017, de Vos and her crew were working from a ship as usual until they noticed something that seemed a little odd.
A Rare Territory To Explore
Asha de Vos’ Specialization
De Vos concentrated on studying marine mammals. She specialized in bluewater whales within that specialty. The marine life has been affected because of Sri Lanka’s bustling maritime lanes, particularly for whales. De Vos had been working on it for years when it became a critical location to concentrate on saving and safeguarding. She was always eager to dive in and explore the seas, and her desire to preserve and research whales was slowly beginning to get recognition on a global scale. What precisely do she and her team do then?
Asha De Vos’ Specialization
Another Day In The Office
Did you know that Sri Lanka is one of the best places to see whales? The region is home to three different types of blue whales, and marine researcher de Vos set out to learn everything she could about these majestic animals. She had the responsibility of cataloging and recording the team’s discovered whale species. When she and her colleagues were watching the marine life on a routine workday, they suddenly noticed something strange. The group decided to anchor the boat after observing that whatever was in the water was gradually approaching.
Another Day In The Office
Always Be Camera-Ready
As beneficial as tourism might be for a nation, marine life has suffered as a result of water traffic. As robust as the environment in the island’s coastal regions. The aquatic animals have driven off some of them. But because of this, Asha de Vos and her colleagues employed a unique technique to record and watch the whales. Being always aware of the possibility of snapping a photo is a key component of the strategy. Being camera-ready is essential, especially considering that whales seldom approach boats, especially ones that are so near to the coast. What, then, was this thing heading in the direction of the boat?
Always Be Camera Ready
Only 4 Miles From The Shore
Because they value their seclusion and the ability to swim in the deep ocean, whales, despite their size, can be highly sensitive animals. To view and take pictures of the blue whales, Asha de Vos and her colleagues frequently venture out into the open ocean outside the coastal shore. However, they started to see something approaching them when they were approximately 4.3 miles (7 km) from the beach. In addition, as we have already indicated, it was unusual for a whale to approach the boat so closely. Even though they could tell it was a monster, they had never seen anything like it before. The crew needed to act quickly because their ship was at a stop!
Only 4 Miles From The Shore
Getting Closer And Circling The Boat
Before it swam away, de Vos and her colleagues hastily grabbed their cameras and began taking documentary photographs. The thing appeared larger as it drew nearer to the vessel. It appeared to be roughly the size of a school bus at this stage! Additionally, the animal wasn’t only coming closer to the boat; it was also swimming circles around them. Can you picture the team’s rush at that moment? Out came the cameras and notebooks to capture what they were seeing, mixed with excitement and terror.
Getting Closer And Circling The Boat
A Little Bit Of Luck And A Whole Lot Of Questions
As we’ve already said, before de Vos, nothing was known about the region and it had seldom been researched. Their method of documenting is fantastic since it places a strong emphasis on cataloging and classifying various species. De Vos mentioned how lucky she was when capturing images in a TED Fellows interview. But what was this aquatic species that they had discovered? “I was able to take plenty of photos of [its] characteristic features,” the scientist said. They were adamant about figuring things out.
A Little Bit Of Luck And A Whole Lot Of Questions
What Was Seen Was Quite Different Than Anything Else
They had just witnessed a massive animal they had never seen before approach and circle their boat while they were shooting shots of him. A shark, perhaps? The whale? What’s that? When they returned to land, she and her pupils immediately started working while still in shock and wonder. They quickly pulled out their picture albums and notebooks. “That’s when we began to realize that what we’d seen was quite different to anything we had ever seen before,” stated de Vos to TED Fellows. Even though Asha de Vos had a lot of knowledge of whales and marine biology, she would still require assistance in this situation.
What Was Seen Was Quite Different Than Anything Else
What was de Vos Up to Since 2009?
Let me give you a brief overview of de Vos’ experience so you can see how significant it was for her to request backup. What did she do after earning her PhD in marine mammal research, wherein she specialized in studying the blue whale? She founded and oversaw the Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project in 2008, which was aimed at doing extensive study on blue whales in the northern Indian Ocean. But her incredibly fruitful career was only getting started.
What Was De Vos Up To Since 2009?
Globally Recognized for Her Research
The International Whaling Commission identified Sri Lanka’s blue whales as needing urgent conservation research as a result of Asha de Vos’ extraordinary commitment and investigation. She began the Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project in 2009, and in 2013 she was given the President’s Award for Scientific Publications. Additionally, she joined Oceana in 2016 as a senior adviser and well-known marine scientist. Oceana is a global organization dedicated to ocean conservation.“I’m thrilled to join this organization, which has the proven experience and ability to help protect marine wildlife, including the blue whales I have studied for so long,” stated de Vos to Oceana. So as we stated, de Vos was an expert in Sri Lanka’s aquatic life and was known for it across the world. So, requesting backup implied that they may have discovered something extraordinary.
Globally Recognized For Her Research
Distinguishing Five Characteristics
De Vos stated in a questionnaire for Oceana that “we see so little of them when they approach our boats, particularly because most keep a low profile (unlike the more showy humpbacks), so it’s often difficult to register their characteristic features at a glance.” De Vos was able to take several pictures, but she was having problems figuring out what the animal was. However, she was able to identify five traits from the pictures of this unnamed species with her group of pupils.
Distinguishing Five Characteristics
Coming Close to Classifying the Unknown Creature
The precise species of aquatic animal that this was may be determined by five separate traits, or morphologically diagnostic features in technical terminology. The uneven jawline, coloring, and a few other distinctive features were primarily to blame.
Based on “Its unusual markings — like the asymmetrical coloring (its right-side lower jaw is light, while on the left it’s dark) and its chevron marking,” de Vos told Ted Fellows. She thought she recognized the species. It was now time to get assistance.
Coming Close To Classifying The Unknown Creature
What Was the Team’s Initial Thoughts About Their Sighting?
Further investigation and photo identification led the researchers to believe that they could have been observing a Bryde’s whale. The Indo-Pacific Ocean is home to this big species of whale, which prefers warmer waters like those of the Indian Ocean. De Vos told National Geographic that after additional examination, she began to suspect it may be a distinct species. What sort of marine animal was this? “The lighter lower right jaw and chevron were key characteristics that made me question what I had seen because Bryde’s whales are essentially uniformly black.”
What Was The Teams Initial Thoughts About Their Sighting
Did She Find a Mythical Creature?
Finally, Asha de Vos and her colleagues got a “a-ha!the gorgeous creature that approached them on February 5, 2017, and felt like they were that much closer to recognizing it. She quickly sent a handful of the photographs to two of her colleagues who are experts on this species, Dr. Salvatore Cerchio and Dr. Robert Brownell. And when we refer to this species, we mean the kind of animal that de Vos thought this thing to be. Not just any aquatic animal was discovered by Asha de Vos; this one was almost mythological.
Did She Find A Mythical Creature
Confirming the “Mythical” Creature
Asha de Vos’s theory on her finding was verified and corroborated by her colleagues Drs. Salvatore Cerchio and Robert Brownell. She had made a significant discovery and had seen “Omura’s whale” first. The Omura whale is exceedingly rare, yet it is not necessarily a mythological being like a unicorn or mermaid. There were hardly any sightings of this species since it is so uncommon. In Japan, this species was only recently found in 2003, or only two years earlier. And in the waters outside her native country, Asha de Vos and her colleagues were the first to spot this extraordinary 30-foot marine creature. The only other locations where sightings were reported were in Iran (in the northwest Ocean), Madagascar (in the western Indian Ocean), and the eastern Indian Ocean. Talk about a groundbreaking development in marine biology!
Confirming The “Mythical” Creature
A Big, Beautiful Mammal
Even though the Omura’s whale differs from a Blue Whale in terms of its distinctive markings and colors, it was evidently difficult to recognize given how seldom it has been observed. It is possible that Omura’s whales prefer to remain in shallower areas given that de Vos was fortunate enough to see one less than five miles from the coast in seas that were just 180 to 215 feet deep. They have the potential to grow to reach 33 feet long, which is tremendous! Can you see yourself swimming next to this whale?
A Big, Beautiful Mammal
A Legendary Find
The Omura’s Whale is a brand-new species that has only been spotted a few times in the Indian Ocean in recent years. Even though Asha de Vos didn’t encounter a supernatural monster, her discovery was nevertheless renowned and garnered attention. She completed the official record document of the first observation of an Omura’s whale in Sri Lankan seas in 2017, and the scientific community was greatly impacted by her finding. Additionally, she presented her research and conclusions in Washington, D.C. at the Explorers Festival. National Geographic is the host. Over 125 worldwide guests (conservationists, forward-thinking scientists, explorers, etc.) have been invited to this prestigious conference to share their thoughts, ideas, discoveries, and solutions to improve our planet. What a privilege!
A Legendary Find
A Successful Set of Years
National Geographic had previously dubbed de Vos a “Emerging Explorer” in 2016 before her great year of 2017. They had no idea that she would provide some explanations for this novel and infrequently encountered species. Following up on her achievement in 2017, the non-profit WINGS WorldQuest also gave her the “Women of Discovery Sea Award” the following year. As of right now, Asha de Vos has the titles of Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Duke University Global Fellow for Marine Conservation, and Ted Senior Fellow. Who knows what this incredible explorer will discover over the next ten years?
A Successful Set Of Years
A Little Quirk to the Massive Mammal
Because the Omura’s whale is a new and endangered species, not much is known about it. But one amusing thing that researchers have discovered is their feeding patterns. Based on studies from Madagascar, it appears that whales there have a filtering mechanism that “filters out” small plankton and fish eggs that are invisible to the human eye. Although we’re not entirely clear why this is important just yet, it’s a lovely little characteristic of this enormous creature.
A Little Quirk To The Massive Mammal
Location, Location, Location
The location has also been brought up as a question. The sightings have all so far occurred in the Indian Ocean, although they are still dispersed over various coastlines and nations. Do the Omura’s whales found in Madagascar, Iran, and Sri Lanka have anything in common? During her interview with National Geographic, de Vos raised a further query about their geographic location. It would be different if this species resided in the deep sea, but all available information from Sri Lanka and Madagascar indicates that it favors shallow shelf waters, which are often visited by humans. Imagine what else we are losing out on if we are ignoring these titans.”
Location, Location, Location
How Many Omura’s Whales Are in Existence?
How many Omura’s whales are there in the world is another query revolving around the boat. In all honesty, nobody really does at this time. It’s absolutely anyone’s guess, given that they are extremely timid creatures and have just recently been found. Additionally, the fact that they have been seen in several locations in the Indian Ocean is a contributing factor. Whether they fall under the category of endangered species or not, marine scientists who are aware of them are making every effort to ensure their safety, protection, and research in order to better understand how to best support them as they thrive in the wonderful bodies of water.
How Many Omuras Whales Are In Existence
The Lead Explorer in Madagascar
Although Asha de Vos was the prominent explorer to spot Omura’s whale for the first time in Sri Lanka, she wasn’t the first to see the whale itself. She really came to Dr. Salvatore Cerchio, a colleague, because he is the principal investigator on the research of this species in Madagascar, in order to corroborate her photographs of the whale. Dr. Cerchio is a member of the Madagascar Omura’s Whale Project, which has a similar focus on blue whale preservation and study to de Vos’ Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project. Who knows what the two will discover when they combine de Vos’ photo-identification database and marine biology expertise with Cerchio’s past knowledge and focus on the whale species of the Omura!
The Lead Explorer In Madagascar
People Protect What They Love
Both de Vos and Cericho have as their career and their passion the preservation and protection of the oceans and of our planet. It’s true what French Naval Officer Jacques-Yves Cousteau said: “People protect what they love.” We believe that diving in and exploring the ocean for yourself is one of the finest things you can do to protect the ocean. You’re likely to fall in love with something about the amazing undersea environment. Additionally, you may always visit a lake, river, or any other body of water if you find yourself landlocked and close to an ocean. Furthermore, there are several, hugely popular programs and organizations, such as TED Talks, National Geographic, Oceana, and many others, that provide venues for self-education.
People Protect What They Love
What Else Makes Asha de Vos’s Sighting So Significant?
Asha de Vos also firmly believes that knowledge and love are correlated; the more we know, the more we will cherish and defend. “The discovery of this whale in Sri Lanka’s waters just serves as a reminder that we live in an incredible world where exploration and discovery are still possible,” de Vos said to TED Fellows. She sincerely takes pride in her nation and its animals, so her finding was more than simply something impressive to add to her portfolio. She appreciates that this discovery adds to the wide variety of species that may be found in her stunning nation.
What Else Makes Asha De Vos’s Sighting So Significant
Barely Scraped the Surface Below the Surface
When it comes to investigating life below the surface, we’ve hardly scratched the surface. Do you know how much of the world’s surface is made up of water?
Earth’s waterways resemble our own physical bodies in many ways. The ocean makes up around 70% of our world, just as water makes up roughly 70% of our bodies. Really nice, no? The fact that we have hardly even scratched the surface of the undersea world is what makes it even more interesting. It has only been in the last several decades that we have seen the huge Omura whale, and even then, only a few times. It is understandable that Asha de Vos was overjoyed to learn that she had come upon a rare species.
Barely Scraped The Surface Below The Surface
Exploring Sri Lanka
Traveling and exploring the world are now more accessible than ever! The tropical island nation of Sri Lanka is one of the emerging nations that tourists are falling in love with. The island, which is southeast of India, is home to a wide variety of jungle animals, including elephants, rare birds, and monkeys. Beautiful hiking routes, tea plantations, and an explosion of culture are all around. However, as it is an island, there is also a lot of underwater life to discover. What had been discovered underwater recently astounded marine experts.
Exploring Sri Lanka
Returning Home and Working
Being a tropical island, Sri Lanka is a special nation. On the island itself, there are hundreds of different bodies of water, so there is always something new to explore and learn about. But this is especially true given how well the ocean water around the island supports aquatic ecosystems and marine life. Asha de Vos, a local, has recently completed her international studies in marine biology. And when she came back to Sri Lanka, she thought it was only appropriate to apply her expertise there, in her own country. She had no idea that her choice would soon be recorded in history.
Returning Home And Working