2011). The connection between the two areas has previously been supported by the direct movement between the habitats of seven Selleck MG-132 individuals identified with DNA profiles (Carroll et al. 2011). Here we add a further eight photo-ID matches and three DNA profile matches between the two areas. We also provide evidence for within-year movement between the NZ subantarctic and mainland NZ, based on the matching of a photo-identified whale. This is consistent

with previous satellite tag data showing the movement of a SRW between the NZ subantarctic and the South Island of NZ in the winter of 2009 (Carroll et al. 2011). The mainland NZ wintering habitat appears to be increasing in importance for NZ SRWs. Sightings of cows with calves are now recorded every year, and we provide evidence of short-term residency by cow-calf pairs,

as well as fidelity to the calving ground over multiple years. In addition we provide further evidence of connectivity between the NZ mainland and subantarctic wintering grounds, building on previous work (Carroll et al. 2011). We thank all individuals GDC-0068 research buy who contributed sighting data and images. We thank Rebecca Pirzl (Skadia Pty Ltd) and Saras Kumar (South Australia Department of Environment & Heritage) for use of BigFish and Laura Wakelin (New Zealand Department of MCE Conservation) for providing access to the sightings database and images. Thank you to Trudi Webster for confirming photo-ID matches. Biopsy

sample collection around mainland New Zealand (NZ) was made possible by Dan Engelhaupt and NZ Department of Conservation staff, including Jim Fyfe, Pete McClelland, Paul Brady, Jamie Quirk, Don Neale, Brian Williams, Mike Morrissey, and Mike Ogle. Lab work was funded by the Marsden Fund of New Zealand (to CSB), NZ Department of Conservation, the Heseltine Trust and an OMV New Zealand Ltd. Scholarship (to EC). EC was supported by a Tertiary Education Commission Top Achiever Scholarship and a University of Auckland PBRF writing grant. WR was supported by a Foundation for Research, Science and Technology post-doctoral fellowship. “
“Body length and axillary girth measurements of more than 600 free-ranging Hawaiian monk seals from 1 to 20 yr old were analyzed. Comparison of fitted von Bertalanffy growth models confirmed there is no evidence of sexual dimorphism in this species. Substantial differences in growth patterns were detected among seven subpopulations representing the species entire geographic range. The age at which seals would be expected to attain a reference length of 180 cm ranged from just over 3 yr up to almost 7 yr at the various sites. Subpopulations exhibiting slower growth have previously been found to also exhibit lower age-specific reproductive rates.