Cetacean Ecology Research Group - CERG

26/05/2026

Introducing Fernandez-McAuley 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.

26/05/2026

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, , , ,

26/05/2026

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 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.

21/05/2026

🐬 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

19/05/2026

NEWS ALERT📣 – We developed a species-specific modelling framework to estimate sexual 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 sexual 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

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

18/05/2026

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

18/05/2026

https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/05/18/cameras-on-boats-reveal-second-highest-hectors-dolphin-bycatch-in-a-decade/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAR3lMBjbGNrBHeUuWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHnmnaIRk5KflKvKyxFapsHDuqJALtsRw-I4F0K_cNy96LaSFj_VK7yrvSixP_aem_-ELfc_7b6Cee4oVgzF4tSA

Fisheries NZ reports eight Hector's dolphins caught in the 2025 fishing year, following 15 catches in 2024

18/05/2026

With now confirmed dead, we again were asked to share our views with about what lessons can be learnt from this event. Our messaging remains consistent - when scientific advice is sidelined in favor of public sentiment, outcomes for the very animals we aim to protect only worsen - ,

17/05/2026

https://www.forbes.com/sites/veronikameduna/2026/05/16/humpback-whale-found-dead-two-weeks-after-controversial-rescue-mission/

Danish authorities confirm a dead humpback whale is the one that had been towed out to sea in a controversial rescue mission after repeated strandings.

12/05/2026

The NZSLT is looking to hire someone for a volunteer position as the administrator. This role is important and would suit someone who is organised, passionate about conservation and is able to problem solve.

The ideal candidate will:
- Have experience in organisation of meetings, busy email inboxes and AGMs
- Have great time management and feel comfortable following up with people
- Able to check and respond to emails at least 3+ times a week
- Be passionate about community engagement
- Understand and be comfortable with Google Drive

Ideal but not essential: Pakake knowledge

If this sounds like you please send a CV and Cover Letter (with a quick couple of sentences about what got you into conservation) to [email protected] by the 26th of May 2026.

07/05/2026

Congratulations to Andrea Lattmann who submitted her MSc thesis on epigenetic age acceleration in relation to contaminant exposure and disease severity in common dolphins - Massey University - Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, ETH Zürich, University of Auckland - Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Canterbury, - , , , , ,