New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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SPERM WHALES STRANDED AT MURIWAI BEACH, NEW ZEALAND

A. B. Stephenson

Auckland Institute and Museum, Private Bag, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract The composition and apparent social structure of a harem school of sperm whales Physeter catodon (Linnaeus 1758) is described from a mass stranding at Muriwai Beach, New Zealand, 29 October 1974. This school contained a total of 54 female whales accompanied by 17 immature males and a solitary full-grown bull. Evidence is provided which supports the contention that sperm whales in this region of the Pacific reach the same lengths at sexual maturity and follow a similar breeding cycle to those found elsewhere in the southern hemisphere.

N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 9 (3): 299-304
Received 20 February 1975

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (962K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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