In late May 2025, an original research article published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science caused a stir in the world of whales. Not only did it share new evidence of where humpbacks give birth, but it also showed the importance of citizen scientists, such as Kiama local Vanessa Risku, whose images informed the study.
You wouldn’t know it from looking at her whale, dolphin and shark filled instagram page (@droning_my_sorrows), but Vanessa only got her first drone in 2023 and at that time, had yet to see a whale in person. Initially, she had hoped to document animals on her property on the Snowy River but it didn’t take long for Vanessa to start to dream. She didn’t just hope to see a whale, she dreamed of filming one.
Teaming up with Ashley Sykes from @ausmashmash, Vanessa soon found herself spending hours on headlands mesmerised by the gentle giants and exploring further afield.
She said, “I cannot put into words how amazing my life has been since I started droning and reignited my photography… I have gained so much knowledge and achieved things that I never thought possible.”
One of those things has been contributing new data to what is known about where humpback whales give birth.
It’s been long thought that humpbacks migrate north over winter to breed and calve in tropical waters. Thanks to information gathered from various sources, including citizen scientists, it was found that calves were born, in some instances, 1500km further south than was generally accepted as calving grounds in Australasia.
Vanessa said, “I was approached by a lady from the University of NSW who was doing a study on humpbacks giving birth outside of tropical waters via an Instagram message. She had seen my Instagram account and noticed that I had filmed quite a few mother and newborn calves in my local area, Kiama.”
Initially she was asked to share her footage and stills but her detailed record keeping of time, date and behaviours of the mums and calves she filmed would also prove valuable, and her photography published as part of the study.
“Prior to the lady contacting me… I had noticed that I was seeing quite a few tiny calves. Some of these calves were only a few days to weeks old, so that must have meant that they were born close to or just south of Kiama.”
But it was a gathering of drone pilots for her birthday (Vanessa has indeed found her people!) that enabled her to film her tiniest calf to date.
“It was the end of the day, and we were just about to leave when I spotted a whale close to shore. It happened to be a mum and newborn calf. You can tell the calf is a newborn by the little tail still being a little rolled on the edges,” she explained.
Drone pilots are required to keep a distance of 100 metres from marine mammals. “Drones and drone operators are often given quite a bad rap from members of the public,” Vanessa said. “It is unfortunate that this occurs because drones, in my opinion, are vital in the research of the whales as well as being used as a vital role in entanglements.”
Back in 2023, Vanessa could not have dreamed where her drone would take her. One thing is certain though, no matter where she is or what she's doing, her passion for the whales is constant.
“I drone and photograph the whales because I love it, and it brings me immense joy. Contributing to research has been a bonus and something I am very proud of. It was no extra work, just simply sharing what I had filmed and witnessed.
“In a thank you email that I received from the research team they stated, “without the involvement of Citizen Scientists such as yourself, the study would not have been possible”. How cool is that? Being able to make a real difference… Just doing what you love, sharing the joy through Instagram and end up making a real difference”.
Follow Vanessa on Instagram @droning_my_sorrows
