Cetacean Ecology Research Group - CERG

Yesterday we examined an subadult male common dolphin named Te aurere whatutahi o māwharu, measuring 1.65 m and 48 kg. Gross examination revealed evidence of physiological stress. Ancillary testing is now underway with pathology and microbiology reports expected shortly. Thanks to Patuharakeke for supporting this kaupapa - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Awanui Veterinary, Department of Conservation, , , . 📷 Department of Conservation

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360987091/they-did-exactly-right-thing-local-fishers-save-rare-whale?fbclid=IwVERDUASLcZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7FqUYy3xnjETgPyaiRUfW-Jpe9jPvO5Gem4ChtHuom4-v4wOSPnKzMaFT5sQ_aem_vq7W6PqiE-8XkkVZqdX1kw

‘They did exactly the right thing’: Local fishers save rare whale tangled in blue cod pots A Department of Conservation disentanglement team travelled from Kaikōura to lead the complex rescue operation.

At a time NZ is dismantling its Ministry for the Environment, our recent study finds ("forever chemicals") ubiquitously across all whales and dolphins from 16 species across Aotearoa New Zealand. From coastal dolphins to deep-diving s***m whales, is widespread, suggesting these persistent pollutants have permeated across marine ecosystems and food chains in NZ.

As of ocean health, cetaceans provide an important warning: PFAS are now a nationwide issue, not just a local pollution problem.



https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725023411?via%3Dihub

Welcome Shaydinah Hamilton (Shay) who has recently joined us to complete her MSc focused on the liver markers in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Shay is assessing histopathological (chronic reactive hepatitis, lipidosis, cholangitis), cellular (hepatocyte hyaline inclusions, intracytoplasmic eosinophilic globules) and toxicological markers (Hg, Se, Cd, Zn, Cu and Fe) alongside parasitism to characterize the liver of stranded and bycaught dolphins in the context of age, s*x and overall health for MSc with CERG, Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa. Shay is supervised by Prof Karen Stockin, Dr Emma Betty and Paula Alonso Almorox (ULPGC).

Introducing Isabel Fernandez who joined CERG in February 2026 as part of her MSc collaboration between Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands supported by Department of Conservation and Project Jonah New Zealand. At CERG, Isabel is completing her MSc thesis, working on cetacean during . She is supervised by Prof Karen Stockin and Dr Rebecca Boys to examine how the behaviour of individual whales changes over time, before and after refloatation events.

Congratulations to Evi Hanninger who recently joined staff as our Research Technician thanks to the generous support of the - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, , , ,

Early human is everything when a marine mammal becomes - It can be the difference between life and death. Thanks to The Conversation Australia + NZ for featuring the key take home messages to come from our latest paper to feature in The New Zealand Veterinary Association Journal - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Department of Conservation, ARC Vets, City University of Hong Kong, ULPGC - , , ,

Entanglement injuries cause prolonged suffering for whales and dolphins – early intervention is crucial Entanglement is a major animal welfare issue for marine mammals. A successful rescue is not just whether an animal is cut free but whether it recovers from injuries.

🐬 Our latest publication in describes chronic and fatal in a bottlenose dolphin highlighting severe animal welfare consequences associated with prolonged fishing gear entanglement.

The paper combines , , and findings to document how chronic entanglement led to progressive deterioration, systemic infection, and ultimate death - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Awanui Veterinary, Department of Conservation, ARC Vets, ULPGC, City University of Hong Kong, The New Zealand Veterinary Association

https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2026.2672757

NEWS ALERT📣 – We developed a species-specific modelling framework to estimate s*xual maturity in common dolphins using radiographic bone ossification from stranded and bycaught animals in NZ. Our results show that skeletal development provides a robust indicator of s*xual maturity, with strong classification accuracy and clear separation between immature and mature individuals.

📖 Read the full study:
Hanninger et al. (2026) Radiographic Assessment of Bone Maturation: A Tool to Estimate Sexual Maturity in Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis)? Marine Mammal Science https://lnkd.in/ep_DV8JC

-e
Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa UOW: University of Wollongong, Australia, National Marine Mammal Foundation Department of Conservation

Thank you Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari for hosting some of the CERG team out on the water yesterday. Such a delight to see these magnificent toanga and share insights on research underway - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa 📷 Leo Suarez, Shaydinah Hamilton