Between 6 and 14 July 2022, researchers from the University of Auckland and Cawthron Institute put satellite tags on southern right whales – tohorā at the Auckland Islands Maungahuka.  

The satellite tags are now available to be tracked live on the tohorā voyages website to help scientists learn more about the migratory journeys of these whales.  

This year is particularly special for marine scientists studying southern right whales as it signals the start of an international collaboration, with the world’s first circumpolar simultaneous satellite tagging program of any whale species. 

Over the coming months, Australian, South African and South American research teams will also be collecting data and sharing it with the other scientists. This will provide critical insight and a global view into the world’s southern right whale populations, with live satellite data available to view from mid-August.  

Live Ocean has supported Dr Emma Carroll’s research into the southern right whale in 2020, 2021 and now for a third and final year in 2022. As Aotearoa is a guardian to the planet’s most flourishing right whale population, this information will help inform a global view of how to look after them in the future as the ocean and climate changes.