A new, first-of-its-kind infrared thermal camera that will help monitor whale movements is up and running near Port Townsend. Launched by nonprofit Quiet Sound, this technology uses thermal imagery to detect when whales are present. It’s positioned near Port Townsend at what is essentially the entrance to Puget Sound, a highly traveled passageway for orcas. “For us, it’s a game changer. It's helping us to up our game enormously,” said Quiet Sound Program Manager Gonzalo Banda-Cruz, who is responsible for whale detections and alerts. Banda-Cruz said one of the biggest holes in the system is knowledge of where the orcas are at night. The best tool they currently have to track the movement of orcas is the Whale Report Alert System, which is largely user-generated reports from people who spot whales around Puget Sound. It also uses hydrophones, which are underwater tools that listen for orca sounds and calls. READ MORE: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/new-infrared-camera-tracks-orca-movements-western-washington/281-97200533-5174-443f-a85e-5c84ead139ba