The KrillSeeker Lab

In the South Taranaki Bight (STB) of Aotearoa, New Zealand, a resident population of blue whales (currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) feeds exclusively on a little-known krill species. In the summer months, these whales, particularly mothers and calves, have been observed engaging in surface lunge feeding on the ephemeral krill swarms found at the ocean’s surface within the STB. As taonga (Māori word meaning a sacred, precious thing), Aotearoa blue whales are not only ecologically important but culturally significant to the people of this region. But human activities (oil and gas extraction and intensive shipping) and climate change are adding increasing pressures to both the krill and blue whales in this region. Effective conservation efforts of Aotearoa blue whales require a better understanding of the location of their foraging grounds – areas of high krill abundances, or krill hotspots. The proposed project aims to uncover the locations of important Aotearoa blue whale foraging grounds by identifying krill hotspots using a combination of aerial surveys with on-the-water sampling. By identifying hotspots of krill, we can provide valuable information to conservation efforts aimed at minimizing the impacts of anthropogenic activities on marine ecosystem health in the face of a rapidly warming ocean.
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This project is funded by the National Geographic Society and Rolex.