Eva-Maria (Evi) is a Research Technician for the Cetacean Pathology Unit (CPU), having completed her PhD at Massey University with CERG in 2026. Her PhD research focused on aging and anatomy of New Zealand common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Evi formerly completed an MSc at University of Basel (Switzerland), where she explored injuries, emaciation, and skin conditions in cetaceans of the Strait of Gibraltar. Evi produced four peer reviewed publications from her PhD and a further two published papers from her former MSc. Since her arrival in New Zealand in 2023, Evi has been awarded the Te Aparangi Royal Society Hutton Fund and support from the Wildbase Research Trust

 

PhD Project:

Evi’s PhD focused on pectoral fin bone morphology and age assessment in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). Evi assessed the age of common dolphins based on bone ossification stages of pectoral fin bones in comparison to GLG and epigenetic methods. Her further research interests lie in the occurrence of forelimb deformities and bone fractures.

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Supervisors: Prof Karen Stockin, Dr Katharina J Peters and Dr Ashley Barratclough