Read more about this encounter and threats to marine mammals in the Exuma Sound (as well as what our team is doing to address these threats) here: islandschool.org/news/the-isl...

The Exuma Sound is currently proposed as the location for a series of SpaceX Falcon 9 booster landings throughout 2026. Ongoing monitoring of marine mammal populations in collaboration with BMMRO aims to quantify species-level responses to this change.

Photos taken of these animals have also, unfortunately, confirmed that #Oo4 is entangled in fishing gear, which is visible wrapped in front of the dorsal fin.

Ghost fishing gear entanglement is just one of the threats that marine mammals in the Exuma Sound are facing.

#Oo4 was first documented in The Bahamas 30 years ago, in 1995. #Oo9 was last spotted in Bahamian waters in 2005.

Orcas can be identified by their unique features, such as their dorsal fins, flukes, eye patches, and even scarring patterns. By matching these animals' unique markings to the photo identification catalogue produced by BMMRO, we were able to identify #Oo4, and #Oo9.

We have just confirmed, thanks to the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO), that two of these three whales are repeat visitors to The Bahamas!

The Exuma Sound is currently proposed as the location for a series of SpaceX Falcon 9 booster landings throughout 2026. Ongoing monitoring of marine mammal populations in collaboration with BMMRO aims to quantify species-level responses to this change.

The killer whales observed travelling through The Bahamas are thought to be mammal hunting, feeding on other smaller species of whale.

Orcas are occasional visitors to The Bahamas—they were last documented by CEI in the Exuma Sound in 2021.

The Exuma Sound supports a diversity of marine life, with resident populations of beaked whales, as well as migratory sperm whales and pilot whales.

With more accurate data, especially from areas that are difficult for models to capture, scientists can develop more accurate and timely storm forecasts for coastal communities.

These gliders collect real-time data on ocean conditions (including temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen levels, and current movements) to improve hurricane predictions in the region by providing valuable insights on the factors that influence storm strength.

Do you see what we see? 👀

Why is this important?

Deep water currents (such as these) are important for transferring heat and nutrients around the ocean. If the currents were to change, there could be devastating consequences.

This project aims to build a better understanding of how the currents work.