The demographic history of southern right whales

Southern right whales have had a rough few centuries, being brought to the brink of oblivion more than once by the whaling industry. Before that, climatic shifts likely played havoc with their coastal breeding grounds. What impact did these events have on their population genetics and connectivity? These are the questions being tackled by Dr Emma Carroll and Prof. Oscar Gaggiotti. Join them as they discuss their recent attempt to unravel the demographic history of this enigmatic migratory species. (Dr Carroll is currently in the South Atlantic Ocean collecting more data on southern right whales; why not check out their field blog at whalednalab.auckland.ac.nz Related article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41437-018-0077-y