Nina Rothe

I am a PhD candidate, assessing humpback whale population health and how health metrics can be linked to environmental conditions and human impact in whale’s feeding grounds in Antarctica.

I grew up in Germany, then moved to Portugal to complete a Master of Science in Marine Biology at the University of Algarve in 2015. I have since worked in various research and conservation roles with focus on coral reef ecology, sea turtles, manta rays and cetaceans.

I am passionate about contributing to the protection and conservation of the natural balance of our environment, through high quality research, to ensure wild places can continue to thrive.

Supervisors: Dr Katharina J Peters (MAVE Lab, University of Wollongong), Dr Frédérik Saltré (BEAM), Prof Barbara Bollard (University Wollongong)

My research

My research focuses on the health of the Tonga (breeding sub-stock E3) humpback whale population, using health indicators such as body condition, respiratory microbiome diversity and scarring rates. Humpback whales are a sentinel species and provide insights into ocean health, climate change impacts, and ecosystem productivity. I aim to assess whether the health of the population can be linked to environmental conditions (e.g., sea ice concentration, chlorophyll and krill abundance, fishing pressure) in their primary feeding grounds in Antarctica, where compounding effects of climate change and human impacts are poorly understood.

My interests

Ecosystem response to climate change
Marine mammal ecology
Conservation biology
Ecological modelling

Fun facts

I am currently living on an island, and this is the 5th island I have lived on in my life. I seem to enjoy being surrounded by water

Favourite quote

“A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” ― John A. Shedd