Nina is a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong with an interest in marine mammal ecology and how a changing climate influences species and their ecosystems.

Her research focuses on whale health in Kaikōura, New Zealand, by studying two ecologically distinct species: sperm whales, deep-diving toothed whales that forage in the region year-round, and humpback whales, migratory baleen whales that pass through Kaikōura during their northern migration. Using health indicators including body condition, respiratory microbiome diversity and scarring, she examines how whale health varies with environmental conditions and between these species with very different life histories, feeding strategies and patterns of habitat use.

As part of SAEF, Nina aims to link changes in humpback whale health to environmental conditions and climate-driven variability in Antarctica, the primary feeding ground of southern hemisphere humpback whale populations

“All life on earth depends, either directly or indirectly, on the health of Antarctica’s ecosystems.” – Nina Rothe