Taranaki blue whales stand out from others

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 2016, calls were heard on 99.7 per cent of days, ScienceDaily said.

Principal investigator with OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute and co-author of the study, Leigh Torres, told ScienceDaily the hydrophones never picked up any Australian blue whale calls, ‘‘just the local New Zealand population’’.

‘‘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 there was an estimated minimum population of 718 blue whales, which can grow to about 22m in length, in the area.

Torres said researchers were working with 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.