PROVINCETOWN, Mass. — March 30, 2014 — Within a year, researcher Jooke Robbins hopes to identify the oldest humpback off New England.
A new DNA technique, developed using data about the humpback whales off New England and Australia in a study Robbins contributed to, will allow scientists to pinpoint the age of the animals — and many others marine mammals.
The new skin-sampling technique and its scientific basis are in a study that has been accepted for publication in the journal Molecular Ecology Resources. The research was conducted by the Australian Antarctic Division, in collaboration with Robbins, who leads the humpback whale research at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, and the Australian Genome Research Facility.
Knowing the ages of humpback whales can help scientists determine if their population is rebounding, particularly in areas where decades of intensive commercial whaling has lowered their numbers.
Knowing the ages can also help determine if certain age groups are more or less vulnerable to human activities, and when and if females stop reproducing, said David Wiley, research coordinator at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Scituate.
Also, scientists will be able to construct family trees for animals known to be related, and determine maximum age and average life span in specific whale populations.