A study published in BMC Veterinary Research (Dec 2025) confirmed the presence of Cetacean morbillivirus in whales above the Arctic Circle for the first time.
- The Discovery Method: Scientists used "Drone Blow Sampling"—hovering consumer drones with petri dishes over whale blowholes to collect respiratory droplets (breath).
- Target Species: Samples were taken from Humpback, Sperm, and Fin whales in the Northeast Atlantic (Norway, Iceland).
- Key Findings: The virus (related to human measles) was found in a sperm whale in poor health and humpback groups.
- Ecological Significance:
- Pathogen Shift: Traditionally found in warmer waters, its presence in the Arctic indicates that climate change and shifting migration patterns are expanding the range of deadly marine diseases.
- Conservation Threat: CeMV causes severe respiratory and neurological damage and has been the primary cause of Mass Mortality Events (MMEs) globally since 1987.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
