What's the Matter with Maui's?

The North Island Hector’s dolphin or Maui’s dolphin has a population of about 111 animals. It is a subspecies of the Hector’s dolphin which is dispersed around the South Island and has a population of about 7000. Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins have declined from a population of about 30,000 dolphins since the 1970s. Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins are the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphin. The most significant cause of death is by drowning in nets. Because of their low populations they are also vulnerable to threats from pollution, boat strike and disease.

In the last three years over 50 Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins have been found dead, sometimes involving whole family groups killed in a single net. Most often, bodies are seriously decomposed when found, but with an additional loss of about 11 Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins this season, public and political attention should be focussed on their march toward extinction. The status of Maui’s dolphins particularly, has to be changed urgently.