Scientists working to help track the health of endangered Hector and Maui dolphins have made a breakthrough which they compare to solving a 3 billion piece puzzle. Using that analogy, the puzzle pieces are poor quality DNA samples. They need the samples to help build a picture of a whole genome. Then that genome information can then help to work out whether conservation efforts are working or not. Among the scientists who have found a new technique to do this, is Otago University PhD Candidate Sebastian Alvarez-Costes who spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.