EndangeredKiller Whale
Orcinus orca
One of the 17 dolphins on WAnimals
Mammals · Artiodactyla · Delphinidae
Cephalorhynchus hectori
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
Hector's dolphin is the smallest marine dolphin in the world and is endemic to New Zealand. It is told apart by its rounded dorsal fin, shaped like a mouse's ear, unique among the dolphins. It lives in small groups in murky coastal waters, where it hunts fish and squid near the bottom. Its northern subspecies, the Māui dolphin, is one of the most threatened cetaceans on the planet, with fewer than a hundred individuals. Accidental capture in gillnets is its main threat.
Weight
40 kg – 60 kg
Size
1.2 m – 1.5 m
Life expectancy
20 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Estimated population
Some 15,000 individuals; the Maui subspecies numbers fewer than a hundred
Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Cephalorhynchus hectori
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Hector's Dolphin — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The hector's dolphin is classified as endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 5 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about hector's dolphin.
