Mammals
Hector's Dolphin
Cephalorhynchus hectori · also called Hectors dolphin
Surfacing in shallow coastal water off New Zealand’s South Island, a Hector’s dolphin displays its distinctive rounded dorsal fin, shaped unlike almost any other dolphin species, part of a population found nowhere else on Earth and increasingly at risk from fishing net entanglement.
Overview
Hector’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus hectori, is one of the smallest and rarest dolphin species in the world, native to shallow coastal ocean waters around the South Island and, via its Maui dolphin subspecies, the North Island of New Zealand. Its distinctive rounded dorsal fin, complete endemism to New Zealand, and critically endangered Maui dolphin subspecies make it one of the more conservation-urgent and geographically unique dolphins found anywhere on Earth.
A dolphin found nowhere else, and dwindling fast
Confined entirely to New Zealand’s coastal waters, Hector’s dolphin has nowhere else to retreat to as fishing net entanglement continues to threaten a species already reduced to one of the smallest total dolphin populations in the world.
Status
Endangered and decreasing, restricted to New Zealand’s coastal waters, with the critically endangered Maui dolphin subspecies numbering only in the dozens.
Hector's Dolphin: common questions
Why does Hector's dolphin have such an unusual dorsal fin?
This species has a distinctive rounded dorsal fin, often compared to a mouse's ear in shape, quite different from the pointed, curved dorsal fin typical of most other dolphin species, making fin shape one of the easiest ways to identify this species at a glance.
Is Hector's dolphin found anywhere outside New Zealand?
No, this species is found only in coastal waters around New Zealand, making it entirely endemic to the country and not found naturally anywhere else in the world, a distribution shared by few other dolphin species globally.
What is the Maui dolphin?
The Maui dolphin is a distinct subspecies of Hector's dolphin found only off the North Island of New Zealand, considered critically endangered with a population numbering only in the dozens, making it one of the rarest dolphin populations found anywhere on Earth.
Why is Hector's dolphin so vulnerable to fishing nets?
This species is particularly vulnerable to entanglement in fishing nets because of its close association with the same shallow coastal waters used heavily by local fisheries around New Zealand, creating significant overlap between the species and fishing activity.