Marine Research at the University of Otago

Marine research at the University of Otago

Southern Right Whales Bouncing Back?

Researcher Will Rayment makes regular tours to the Auckland Islands to study Southern Right Whales. Listen to radio interviews about Rayment's research.

Paua shell colour changes with diet

Associate Professor Mike Barker has been investigating how diet affects the colour of the paua shell. What do you think the paua ate to make its shell blue?

Paparazzi seek out dolphins

Researcher Will Rayment zooms in on dolphins to help with their identification.

Scientists playing in a sandpit?

Associate Professor Abby Smith's research concerns Ocean Acidification, so what is she doing, pictured here with Phil Heseltine from the Polaris II, playing in a sandpit?

Life is a drag!

How can we help our swimmers to go faster? Does the answer lie in redesigning swimwear, or could it be that life is just a drag on the surface?

Tracking Spiny Sea Stars

Scientists have been tagging 11-arm Spiny Sea Stars to track their movements. How far do you think they can travel in a day?

Scientist tunes in to whales

Associate Professor Steve Dawson and his students use a special underwater microphone (hydrophone) to find sperm whales off the coast of Kaikoura. What sound does a sperm whale make?

What do Red Rock Lobsters need for a healthy diet

We like to eat lobsters, but what are our lobsters eating?

Scientists design new fish net

Otago researchers hit a problem when counting fish on local reefs. How do you count fish when they are too small to see?

Tow fish expedition to Campbell Island

Fifteen researchers and crew headed down to Campbell Island on the University Otago's Research Vessel, Polaris II. The yellow tow fish was an important part of their equipment.

How do estuaries recycle the land's waste?

Estuaries recycle the land's waste ... How do they do that?