South West Pacific expedition
Step into the underwater world of the South West Pacific islands to discover marine life even scientists have not ventured before.
The South West Pacific expedition
AM Collection Managers Steve Keable (Marine Invertebrates), Mark McGrouther and Sally Reader (Fish), Mandy Reid (Malacology) will join Research Scientist Elena Kupriyanova, Senior Fellow Anna Murray and colleagues from Auckland Museum and National Museum of New Zealand, to survey marine life in remote islands and reefs surrounding Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
On this voyage (funded by AMRI – the Australian Museum Research Institute – and the AM Foundation), the scientists aim to build on previous work recording the area’s biodiversity and determining the influence of oceanic currents on the biological connectivity across the South Pacific.
For nearly two months, the Braveheart, a 39-metre ship was their home. At any one time, up to 17 Australian, New Zealand and other international scientists will live on board, with a crew of five, one of whom doubles as a cook.
