Species study launched after blue whale seen

They are the biggest mammals in the world but so little is known about blue whales around New Zealand that Northland whale researcher Ingrid Visser wants public help to find out more.
Dr Visser literally came face-to-face with an 18m long, 80-tonne, mother blue whale in the waters of southern Northland on December 18.
The mother and her calf silently surfaced beside Dr Visser's boat, giving the opportunity for the spectacular photograph seen above.
She said the close encounter was the highlight of all her contact with blue whales around the world.
Blue whales grow up to 33m long and weigh up to 180 tonnes.
Their tongues weigh as much as an elephant and they can live to be 80 years old.
Dr Visser said despite them being the biggest mammals on the planet, little is known about their presence here.
She has set up the New Zealand Blue Whale Identification Catalogue and is writing a scientific manuscript on the subject, but wants public help.
"Thanks to a number of colleagues, we now have over 80 unique reports [of blue whale sightings around New Zealand], yet we believe there are a lot more out there and the public may hold the key to a comprehensive update," Dr Visser said.
She is asking for any data on blue whales around New Zealand, including dates, times and places of sightings and photographs, to be passed on, with the provider retaining the copyright of any images.
"Unfortunately, we can't offer any money for the contribution of the images, and at this stage I have no intention of publishing them as I actually have to pay the scientific magazines to publish images, so it will cost me money, but as this is a labour of love, I hope people will still be willing to contribute the data," she said.
Any images which allow individual blue whales to be identified would be added to the New Zealand Blue Whale Identification Catalogue, which would be open to other researchers to check for matches with other blue whale populations.
"If we had any matches we would inform the photographer and request permission to use their image for a scientific publication," Dr Visser said.
She said the blue whale she saw in December had a very distinctive scar on her head which she believes is permanent.
The whale has since been seen in the Hauraki Gulf, just north of Little Barrier and off the Whangamata and Mayor Island areas.
"We know so little about blue whales in New Zealand waters that any data we can collect will be of immense value and a significant contribution towards our understanding of the species here," Dr Visser said.
Anybody with data can email ingrid@orca.org.nz or sjh42188@aim.com.