@article{fdi:010095020,
  title = {{G}enetic differentiation and population connectivity of humpback whales migrating through {A}otearoa {N}ew {Z}ealand waters},
  author = {{S}teel, {D}. {J}. and {C}arroll, {E}. {L}. and {B}aker, {C}. {S}. and {C}aballero, {S}. and {C}hilderhouse, {S}. and {C}orne, {C}. and {G}arrigue, {C}laire and {G}ibbs, {N}. and {K}insey, {R}. and {K}uri, {N}. and {O}gle, {M}. and {O}lavarria, {C}. and {P}alacios, {D}. and {P}oole, {M}. {M}. and {R}asmussen, {K}. and {R}iekkola, {L}. and {R}obbins, {J}. and {C}onstantine, {R}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{C}ontext {H}istorically, humpback whales migrating past {A}otearoa {N}ew {Z}ealand ({NZ}) were linked to western {S}outh {P}acific wintering grounds and {A}ntarctic feeding grounds. {A}s populations have recovered, research has focused on contemporary connectivity patterns throughout the {S}outh {P}acific.{A}ims {T}o determine the contemporary connectivity of winter breeding grounds for humpback whales on their northern and southern migrations past {NZ}, and those at the {K}ermadec {I}slands ({R}angit & amacr;hua) migratory stopover.{M}ethods {W}e generated {DNA} profiles (mitochondrial {DNA} (mt{DNA}) haplotypes, genetic sex and microsatellite genotypes) using skin samples collected from whales between 1998 and 2021. {W}e used comparisons of {DNA} profiles and a mixed-stock analysis of mt{DNA} haplotypes to determine the most likely wintering grounds of genetically identified individuals.{K}ey results {DNA} profiles of 350 individual whales from {NZ} were compared to profiles from {O}ceania (n > 2000), {C}entral and {S}outh {A}merica (n = 452) and {E}ast {A}ustralia (n = 809). {T}his comparison revealed 35 genotype matches, mainly to {N}ew {C}aledonia and {E}ast {A}ustralia. {T}he mixed-stock analysis showed that northbound whales (n = 145) had approximately equal assignment proportions to {E}ast {A}ustralia and {N}ew {C}aledonia whereas southbound whales (n = 74) showed a two-fold higher assignment to {E}ast {A}ustralia. {I}n contrast, whales passing {R}angit & amacr;hua (n = 112) assigned to {N}ew {C}aledonia and other {P}acific wintering grounds but not to {E}ast {A}ustralia.{C}onclusions {H}umpback whales passing mainland {NZ} on their north and southbound migrations are strongly associated with {E}ast {A}ustralia and {N}ew {C}aledonia wintering grounds. {T}hose migrating south past {R}angit & amacr;hua have a broader range of wintering ground destinations, including a connection to {C}entral {A}merica.},
  keywords = {connectivity ; genetics ; humpback whale ; migration ; mixed stock ; assignment ; mt{DNA} ; {N}ew {Z}ealand ; {P}acific {O}cean ; {NOUVELLE} {ZELANDE} ; {PACIFIQUE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}acific {C}onservation {B}iology},
  volume = {31},
  numero = {5},
  pages = {{PC}25026 [17 p.]},
  ISSN = {1038-2097},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1071/pc25026},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095020},
}