First Anniversary of Murihiku ki Te Tonga, the World’s First Indigenous-Led Antarctic Programme
Exactly one year ago, on 03 August 2023, the Murihiku ki Te Tonga had its official launch at the XIII SCAR Biology Conference, in Ōtautahi-Christchurch. So much has happened since then! Our team has completed two more expeditions to the Ross Sea region in partnership with Heritage Expeditions as well as Colin Aitchison at Skyworks UAS and Anthony ‘Antz’ Powell of Antzworks. We completed a detailed survey of a key archaeological site on Enderby Island-Maungahuka, mapped penguins at Cape Adare, and continued our whale research programme. Recently, we submitted our first paper (PDF, 1.73 MB) to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) at their recent WG-EMM meeting in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, 01-12 July 2024. A beautiful video produced by Antz and narrated by Tā Tipene O’Regan himself showcases our programme and sends a powerful call to help protect our unique Te Moana-tāpokopoko-a-Tāwhaki.
Our 2024 expeditions to the Ross Sea region in nine pictures. Top left clockwise: one of beautiful snow petrels that followed our ship (R. Eisert); Antarctic Type-C killer whales use a hole in the sea ice to breathe (C. Aitchison, Skyworks); Adélie penguins coming ashore at Cape Adare (R. Eisert); juvenile Antarctic killer whales (MKTT); our expedition vessel, the Heritage Adventurer, passing through the sea ice of McMurdo Sound (C. Aitchison, Skyworks); a great toroa (albatross; R. Eisert); portrait of a king penguin (R. Eisert); a pakake (minke whale) feeding on krill in the Ross Sea (C. Aitchison, Skyworks); centre: Rewi Davis paying his respects to the Pou Whenua during a visit to Scott Base, New Zealand’s Antarctic base in the Ross Sea (R. Eisert).
Posted: 3 August 2024