DoC starts hunt for home-grown whale population

The hunt is on to find out whether New Zealand has its own population of "homegrown" southern right whales.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has appealed for reports of sightings of southern right whales in a bid to determine whether the whales in New Zealand coastal waters are a separate population from their southern ocean relatives.

"If the mainland whales do represent a smaller separate population, we need to know about it so we can ensure that these whales are best protected from any potential impacts, such as marine farms, ship strikes and coastal development," said DOC marine mammal adviser Helen McConnell.

Southern right whales have been spotted in coastal areas around Auckland - last winter off Waiheke Island and Whangaparaoa and the year before in Kaipara Harbour.

Because southern right whales spend a large portion of their winter breeding months (June-September) very close to the shore in sheltered waters, they can be easily spotted from land.

Reports of sightings from the public have helped DOC gain valuable information about the whales so far.

"In the last three years we have obtained 21 genetic samples from southern right whales around New Zealand, largely thanks to tip-offs from the public, and we've got many good quality photographs for individual identification as well."

To date, none of the whales identified around the mainland have been seen in areas further afield.

This supported the theory they may indeed be geographically isolated from other populations, but more data is necessary.

Southern right whale sightings should be reported to DOC, preferably as soon as possible after the sighting is made, on 0800 DOCHOT line (0800 36 24 68).

DOC needs to know the date, time and location of the sighting; the number of whales; whether there are any calves and their direction of travel.

- NZPA