Oceans

A leopard seal has spent so much time in New Zealand waters she has prompted a NIWA scientist to challenge conventional thinking about the species.

The sounds of whales and dolphins rarely seen in New Zealand waters have been recorded in a pioneering underwater sound project.

Māui dolphins, a subspecies of Hector’s dolphins, are listed as nationally critical in New Zealand with a population estimate between 57 and 75 dolphins over one year old.

Pilot whale (Globicephala sp.) calls detected by acoustic recorder stationed in Cook Strait, New Zealand from December 2016 to January 2017.

Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) calls detected by acoustic recorder stationed in Cook Strait, New Zealand from December 2016 to January 2017.

Biological traits analysis is a valuable tool for measuring ecosystem function.

NIWA’s Marine Invertebrate Collection has welcomed two extremely rare octopus that have only just been provisionally identified.

New Zealand joins global seabed mapping initiative

The critically endangered Māui dolphin is getting a helping hand from scientists this month who are beginning a year-long research project to listen in on them.

Hydrocarbons, although requiring increasingly responsible use, are still an essential part of our modern economy. NIWA has provided survey and consultancy services related to the exploration of offshore mineral resources for thirty years.