Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce a new publication extending the known easterly range of humpbacks within Oceania (western South Pacific Ocean). Please contact me if you do not have access to the PDF (catrsw@bas.ac.uk). Catharine Horswill and Jennifer A. Jackson (2012). Humpback whales wintering at Pitcairn Island, South Pacific. Marine Biodiversity Records, 5, e90 doi:10.1017/S1755267212000693 Abstract Here we present the first documentation of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Pitcairn Island region. Land-based surveys were conducted from Pitcairn Island from June 2007 to August 2007 in order to monitor the presence of humpback whales in the surrounding near-shore waters. The highest sighting frequencies occurred in late August, with mother and calf pairs also becoming more prevalent during this period. Observation effort lasted 80.56 hours, totalling 35 sightings of 49 whales. There is no anecdotal history of humpback whales at Pitcairn Island previous to 1990 which may suggest a recent geographical shift in the easterly range of Oceania humpbacks. Our findings extend the known easterly range of humpbacks within Oceania (western South Pacific Ocean). Keywords: humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, Pitcairn Island, Oceania ---------------------------- Catharine Horswill PhD researcher British Antarctic Survey High Cross, Madingley Road Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK email: catrsw@bas.ac.uk -- This message (and any attachments) is for the recipient only. NERC is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the contents of this email and any reply you make may be disclosed by NERC unless it is exempt from release under the Act. Any material supplied to NERC may be stored in an electronic records management system.