Abstract
This project will investigate how the sperm whale population has been affected by past industrial whaling, by extracting and analysing DNA from ancient and historical specimens of sperm whales kept in museum collections. The majority of these biological specimens were collected during whaling expeditions in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries; ancient sperm whale specimens dating from prior to the onset of industrial whaling will also be analysed. This type of museum material will give us a unique opportunity to directly assess what genetic diversity was removed. In so doing, we will provide a historical baseline pivotal to understanding the present status of sperm whales. Using a variety of population genetics methods we will contrast our genetic data to that from the extant sperm whale populations, creating a window into the past. A pilot study shows excellent DNA preservation and preliminary analyses already indicate that our information will contribute towards a greater understanding of the current genetic status of sperm whales. This dataset will enable us to refine estimations of genetic population parameters, which are significant for other groups working in marine conservation genetics. The International Whaling Commission that regulates and monitors the whaling has expressed interest in our preliminary results and has asked us to keep them informed about future outcomes.
Sweden