One big difference from our earlier research visits is that there were very few singing males. We suspect that they have already passed the islands and now we’re seeing the mothers with their young calves who need to swim a little slower and take the time to let their calf grow as they swim south.
We came so close to losing the tohoraha with commercial whaling leaving fewer than 5% of the pre-whaling numbers. But they are recovering, and Rangitāhua is an important place for them to gather.
Jaynie Lelievre and Rochelle Constantine capturing data for whale surveying