Characterizing the Distribution and Behavior of Sperm Whales, <i>Physeter macrocephalus</i> , Over the Otago Submarine Canyons, New Zealand

ABSTRACT Sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) play an important role in marine ecosystems as top predators, nutrient vectors, and indicators of ecosystem health. In Aotearoa New Zealand, sperm whales remain largely understudied other than at Kaikōura, a foraging area for males. This research aims to expand our understanding of this culturally important species beyond Kaikōura. Between June 2022 and July 2023, 14 visual‐acoustic surveys were conducted over Otago's submarine canyons. Data were collected on the occurrence, distribution, size structure, and behavior of sperm whales around Otago, and findings were compared with data from 32 novel systematic surveys at Kaikōura during the same time period. Encounter rates were lower at Otago than Kaikōura. Length distributions were not significantly different between locations, suggesting a similar demographic visiting both locations—mainly solitary, subadult males. Metrics of foraging behavior, including surface interval and time‐to‐first‐click, were significantly longer in Otago than in Kaikōura, suggesting that individuals may be employing different feeding strategies between locations. Photo‐identification revealed site fidelity to both regions and one instance of movement between the two. This was the first study to demonstrate the potential importance of Otago's submarine canyons as a feeding area for subadult male sperm whales and demonstrate connectivity between foraging habitats in New Zealand.