Since 1998, Cook Islands Whale Research (CIWR), a project of the Center for Cetacean Research & Conservation (CCRC), has been studying and distributing information on the populations of cetaceans and other marine mammals in the Cook Islands, South Pacific. CIWR documents population abundance of humpback whales, beaked whales, sperm whales, dolphins, other cetaceans, marine mammals, turtles and sharks through opportunistic and systematic surveys. Every sighting is recorded with a latitude and longitude and later used for Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Data of these animals are collected in order to understand population dynamics, group structures, habitat use, genotype matching and migratory pathways. The specific approaches and techniques used to perform CIWR’s research include photo-identification; acoustic analyses; satellite tagging; surface, underwater and drone video footage; and collection of DNA samples for genetics, microbiology and stable isotope analysis.