'Genetically distinct' blue whale population discovered off South Taranaki Bight
Saturday, 19 May 2018
Blue whales frequenting the South Taranaki Bight are genetically distinct from other blue whales in the Pacific and Southern oceans, new research suggests.
Researchers from Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute used hydrophones to record blue whale calls in the area, ScienceDaily reported.
Between January and December in 2016 calls were heard on 99.7 per cent of days, ScienceDaily said.
Principal investigator with OSU's Marine Mammal Institute and co-author on the study Leigh Torres told ScienceDaily the hydrophones never heard any Australian blue whale calls, 'just the local New Zealand population'.
**READ MORE:
* Blue whale dine out off Taranaki in their dozens
* Greens to ask DOC to investigate setting up South Taranaki marine mammal sanctuary
* Scientists capture rare footage of blue whales feeding off coast of New Zealand
* Blue whale research expedition set to sail off lower North Island
* Whales will be affected by seabed mining, says expert
* Massive blue whale population found in proposed seabed mining area**
'When we conducted biopsies of individual whales, we also discovered that they are genetically distinct from other blue whale populations,' she added.
Results of the study are being published in the journal Endangered Species Research this week.
Torres' graduate student Dawn Barlow told ScienceDaily it was estimated there was a minimum population of 718 whales, which can grow to about 22 metres in length, in the area.
Torres said researchers were working with the country's resource managers 'so they can apply best management practices to minimise impacts from industry', ScienceDaily reported.
The area the blue whales inhabit has several oil and gas extraction rigs and is also an area where a permit to mine the seabed for ironsand has been granted. A number of organisations have appealed the permit.