Whales, Dolphins and Seals

The Otago coast is home to a wide diversity of marine mammal species. As a result, our collections include many rare and significant specimens. Tūhura Otago Museum has a long history of collecting and researching these animals—and this work continues today.

Our focus has been on increasing the representation of marine mammals in the collection, to support ongoing research and ensure information about their biology is available for future study. This work is not done alone; we collaborate closely with iwi and scientists from across Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

Notable individuals and species studied include Kana and Autahi, the leopard seals; Ōnumia, the spade-toothed whale; spectacled porpoises; and several other rare species of beaked whales. The focus of the marine mammal work now is on Ōnumia and working up the findings from the first anatomical dissection and cultural revitalisation project that was undertaken in Dec 2024. Ōnumia is the rarest mammal in the world, and this work is of international importance.