Project Summary:

In September 2024, a scientific expedition in the South Pacific concluded, with Morigenos playing an active role in the research. The project “Humpback Whales of the Pitcairn islands” was led by King’s College London and supported by the Darwin Plus grant. A team composed of Professor Terry Dawson (King’s College London), PhD student Katherine McCoy and Dr Tilen Genov (Morigenos) travelled to Pitcairn island in 2023 and 2024 to study the humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in one of the most remote places on Earth.

Despite very challenging weather conditions during both expeditions, the team recorded several whale sightings, obtained photographs for individual identification, recorded whale vocalisations, obtained aerial footage and even obtained samples for genetic analyses. These data will help provide further insights into the lives and conservation of these mysterious giants.