A high-profile whale research expedition is to venture into Bermuda waters in a matter of weeks. ?The Voyage of the ?, a global project run by Massachusetts-based conservation group Ocean Alliance, has been conducting research and educational initiatives in remote regions from the Galapagos Islands to Papua New Guinea for the past five years.

The main focus of the expedition is to gather the first set of data on the levels of synthetic contaminants in the world?s oceans by taking tissue samples from sperm whales.

Scientists are hoping to uncover how and to what extent man-made toxicants are impacting the ocean environment and aquatic animals.

?Sperm whales are mammals just like us so we do share several biological and physiological characteristics with them,? information provided on Ocean Alliance?s website explains.

?In that respect, they are a relevant species to study the impact of environmental pollution. Sperm whales are also a good indicator species because they are exposed to ocean pollution throughout their life and they have a relatively long life span. They also have a high percentage of fatty tissue in their body ? most toxicants that exist in the ocean environment are chemicals that accumulate in fat tissue. Although our study focuses on whales, it is also an issue critically important to humanity as we take much of our food from the same source.?

The 93-foot research vessel and her crew departed San Diego in March, 2000 and will be coming to Bermuda and the Caribbean Sea for the first time.