New Zealand southern right whale (Eubalaena australis; Tohorā nō Aotearoa) behavioural phenology, demographic composition, and habitat use in Port Ross, Auckland Islands over three decades: 1998–2021

A significant increase in the proportion of cow-calf pairs among New Zealand southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) at Port Ross, Auckland Islands, from 20% in 1998 to 50% in 2020/2021, suggests strong population recruitment and growth. This study analyzed behavioral phenology, demographic composition, and habitat use over three decades using surveys, 548 whale encounters, and 599 skin biopsy samples collected during peak usage periods. While behavioral patterns remained consistent with the 1990s, the rising cow-calf pairs indicate a thriving population not constrained by food resources. Port Ross remains critical habitat for all demographic classes, reinforcing the need for stricter management to mitigate whale-vessel interactions in this remote subantarctic region.

Carroll, E. L., Riekkola, L., Andrews-Goff, V., Baker, C. S., Constantine, R., Cole, R., Goetz, K., Harcourt, R., Lundquist, D., Meyer, C., Ogle, M., O’Rorke, R., Patenaude, N., Russ, R., Stuck, E., van der Reis, A. L., Zerbini, A. N., & Childerhouse, S. (2022). New Zealand southern right whale (Eubalaena australis; Tohorā nō Aotearoa) behavioural phenology, demographic composition, and habitat use in Port Ross, Auckland Islands over three decades: 1998–2021. Polar Biology, 45(8), 1441–1458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03076-7