Career

• 2020 – Present: Research Associate in wildlife from space, British Antarctic Survey, UK
• 2013 – 2016: Marine wildlife observer and passive acoustic monitoring operator (MMO, PSO, PAM) Gardline, UK
• 2009: Research assistant in benthic ecology, Institut des Sciences de la MER de Rimouski (ISMER, institute of the sciences of the sea), Canada
• 2008: Marine acoustic technician, ISMER, Canada

Qualifications

• 2016 – 2020: PhD in Geography/Polar Studies, British Antarctic Survey and Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, UK
• 2010-2011: MSc in Marine Environmental Management (Distinction), University of York, UK
• 2007-2010: BSc in Biology with an emphasis in Marine Sciences, University of Quebec at Rimouski, Canada
• 2009: CREPUQ student exchange, Humboldt State University, USA

Memberships

• Society for Marine Mammalogy
• Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society

Research interests

My research interests are to develop the use of space technology for marine wildlife research in remote places, and make this method applicable at a global oceanic scale by improving the efficiency of image analysis through crowdsourcing and automated systems.

Collaborations

SmartWhales: Data from space to help protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Government of Canada) – Ongoing

Wintering whales of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WWF project) – Ongoing

Pelagos – Ship strike: Proposal to develop and evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of ship strikes to fin and sperm whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Pelagos) – Completed

ECOPOTENTIAL: Improving future ecosystem benefits through earth observations (H2020 project) – Completed

EO4wildlife: Protection and conservation of wildlife, platform for wildlife monitoring integrating Copernicus and ARGOS data (H2020 project) – Completed

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2026

Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Vergara-Pena, Alejandra. Bowler, Ellen ORCID record for Bowler, Ellen. Downie, Rod. Forcada, Jaume ORCID record for Forcada, Jaume. Garde, Eva. Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter. Higdon, Jeff W. Ida, Emina. Kovacs, Kit M. Lancaster, Melanie L. Lapointe St Pierre, Mathilde. Lydersen, Christian. Matthews, Cory J.D. Spencer, Matt. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. (2026) A roadmap towards monitoring walruses from space.

Bamford, C.C.G. ORCID record for Bamford, C.C.G.. Cubaynes, H. ORCID record for Cubaynes, H.. Kelly, N. Clarke, P. J. ORCID record for Clarke, P. J.. Longden, E. Weyn, M. Perry, G. Snead, H. Fouda, L. Macfarlane, G. Jackson, J.A. ORCID record for Jackson, J.A.. (2026) Features of interest from a multi-season satellite survey of baleen whales on the West Antarctic Peninsula.

2025

Clarke, Penny J. ORCID record for Clarke, Penny J.. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Jackson, Jennifer A. ORCID record for Jackson, Jennifer A.. Taylor, Nicola L. Johnston, David W. de Vos, Asha. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. Skachkova, Aliaksandra. Jones, Gwawr. (2025) Talking About the Weather: The Feasibility of Using Very High-Resolution Optical Satellite Imagery to Monitor Live and Stranded Cetaceans Around the UK and UK Overseas Territories.

2024

Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Forcada, Jaume ORCID record for Forcada, Jaume. Kovacs, Kit M. Lydersen, Christian. Downie, Rod. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. (2024) Walruses from space: walrus counts in simultaneous remotely piloted aircraft system versus very high-resolution satellite imagery.

Attard, Marie R.G. ORCID record for Attard, Marie R.G.. Phillips, Richard A. ORCID record for Phillips, Richard A.. Bowler, Ellen ORCID record for Bowler, Ellen. Clarke, Penny J. ORCID record for Clarke, Penny J.. Cubaynes, Hannah ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah. Johnston, David W. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. (2024) Review of Satellite Remote Sensing and Unoccupied Aircraft Systems for Counting Wildlife on Land.

2023

Green, Katherine M. ORCID record for Green, Katherine M.. Virdee, Mala K. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Aviles-Rivero, Angelica I. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. Gray, Patrick C. Johnston, David W. Schönlieb, Carola-Bibiane. Torres, Leigh G. Jackson, Jennifer A. ORCID record for Jackson, Jennifer A.. (2023) Gray whale detection in satellite imagery using deep learning.

Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Shpak, Olga. (2023) Satellite image survey of beluga whales in the southern Kara Sea.

Khan, Christin B. Goetz, Kimberly T. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Robinson, Caleb. Murnane, Erin. Aldrich, Tyler. Sackett, Meredith. Clarke, Penny J. ORCID record for Clarke, Penny J.. LaRue, Michelle A. White, Timothy. Leonard, Kathleen. Ortiz, Anthony. Lavista Ferres, Juan M. (2023) A biologist’s guide to the galaxy: Leveraging artificial intelligence and very high-resolution satellite imagery to monitor marine mammals from space.

Cubaynes, Hannah Charlotte ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah Charlotte. Clarke, Penny Joanna ORCID record for Clarke, Penny Joanna. Goetz, Kimberly Thea. Tyler, Aldrich. Fretwell, Peter Thomas ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter Thomas. Leonard, Kathleen Elise. Khan, Christin Brangwynne. (2023) Annotating very high-resolution satellite imagery: A whale case study.

2022

Cubaynes, Hannah ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah. Fretwell, Peter ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter. (2022) Whales from space dataset, an annotated satellite image dataset of whales for training machine learning models.

2021

Clarke, Penny J. ORCID record for Clarke, Penny J.. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Stockin, Karen A. Olavarría, Carlos. de Vos, Asha. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. Jackson, Jennifer A. ORCID record for Jackson, Jennifer A.. (2021) Cetacean strandings from space: Challenges and opportunities of very high resolution satellites for the remote monitoring of cetacean mass strandings.

Höschle, Caroline. Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Clarke, Penny J. ORCID record for Clarke, Penny J.. Humphries, Grant. Borowicz, Alex. (2021) The potential of satellite imagery for surveying whales.

2020

Bamford, C.C.G. ORCID record for Bamford, C.C.G.. Kelly, N. Dalla Rosa, L. Cade, D.E. Fretwell, P.T. ORCID record for Fretwell, P.T.. Trathan, P.N. ORCID record for Trathan, P.N.. Cubaynes, H.C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, H.C.. Mesquita, A.F.C. Gerrish, L. ORCID record for Gerrish, L.. Friedlaender, A.S. Jackson, J.A. ORCID record for Jackson, J.A.. (2020) A comparison of baleen whale density estimates derived from overlapping satellite imagery and a shipborne survey.

Cubaynes, Hannah Charlotte ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah Charlotte. (2020) Whales from space: Assessing the feasibility of using satellite imagery to monitor whales.

Cubaynes, Hannah C. ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah C.. Rees, W. Gareth. Jackson, Jennifer A. ORCID record for Jackson, Jennifer A.. Moore, Michael. Sformo, Todd L. McLellan, William A. Niemeyer, Misty E. George, John C. van der Hoop, Julie. Forcada, Jaume ORCID record for Forcada, Jaume. Trathan, Phil ORCID record for Trathan, Phil. Fretwell, Peter T. ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter T.. (2020) Spectral reflectance of whale skin above the sea surface: a proposed measurement protocol.

2018

Cubaynes, Hannah ORCID record for Cubaynes, Hannah. Fretwell, Peter ORCID record for Fretwell, Peter. Bamford, Connor ORCID record for Bamford, Connor. Gerrish, Laura ORCID record for Gerrish, Laura. Jackson, Jennifer ORCID record for Jackson, Jennifer. (2018) Whales from space: Four mysticete species described using new VHR satellite imagery.

3. Counting Walruses from Space

   Despite their importance to Arctic ecosystems, we don’t know how many walruses exist. We’re using satellite images and citizen science to count walruses.

   Read more of: Counting Walruses from Space

   

5. Sustained Monitoring of Whales at South Georgia

   This project is creating a long-term framework for monitoring whale numbers and behaviour.

   Read more of: Sustained Monitoring of Whales at South Georgia

   

19. Wildlife from Space

    Many populations of wildlife are remote, inaccessible or difficult to monitor. The advent of sub-metre, Very-High-Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery has enabled us study these animals in a much more efficient way.

    Read more of: Wildlife from Space

    

1. Drones validate walrus counts in satellite images from space

   In the first successful attempt to calibrate walrus counts from satellite imagery, scientists used drones to validate animal counts in Svalbard, Norway.

   Read more of: Drones validate walrus counts in satellite images from space

   

2. BAS shortlisted for NERC’s 2023 Impact Awards

   The shortlist has been announced for The Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC) Impact Awards 2023. Four BAS projects have made the shortlist and commended list, ranging from biodiversity and ecology to space weather.

   Read more of: BAS shortlisted for NERC’s 2023 Impact Awards

   

3. ‘Walrus detectives’ sought for conservation science

   This week (17 January) British Antarctic Survey and WWF are inviting the public to become ‘walrus detectives’ and get involved in the Walrus from Space project to help with vital […]

   Read more of: ‘Walrus detectives’ sought for conservation science

   

4. Calling for ‘Walrus Detectives’ on World Walrus Day

   Today, 24 November 2022, marks World Walrus Day, and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and WWF are inviting the British public to become ‘walrus detectives’ and get involved in their Walrus […]

   Read more of: Calling for ‘Walrus Detectives’ on World Walrus Day

   

5. Scientists begin work counting Arctic walrus

   Researchers are heading to the Arctic to begin fieldwork to study walrus populations for the next stage in the Walrus from Space project.

   Read more of: Scientists begin work counting Arctic walrus

   

6. Whale images aid crucial research

   A new dataset featuring hundreds of satellite images of whales has been published to support the development of artificial intelligence systems which will aid crucial conservation work.

   Read more of: Whale images aid crucial research

   

7. Space technology and artificial intelligence to monitor whale mass stranding events

   An international team of scientists led by British Antarctic Survey have published research today on using new technology to study mass stranding of whales from space and how the technology […]

   Read more of: Space technology and artificial intelligence to monitor whale mass stranding events

   

8. WALRUS FROM SPACE: Animal spotters wanted to join mass survey!

   British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and WWF are seeking the public’s help to search for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space, with the aim of learning more about […]

   Read more of: WALRUS FROM SPACE: Animal spotters wanted to join mass survey!

   

9. Using AI to track whales from space

   British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists will work with an Artificial Intelligence company after being awarded a contract from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to support the protection of an endangered […]

   Read more of: Using AI to track whales from space

   

10. Watching whales from space

    Scientists have used detailed high-resolution satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies’ DigitalGlobe, to detect, count and describe four different species of whales. Reported this week in the journal Marine Mammal […]

    Read more of: Watching whales from space