Hector’s and Māui dolphins are the smallest and rarest marine dolphins on earth and also New Zealand’s only two native dolphin species. But that could all soon change because commercial and recreational fishermen are killing these animals off rapidly. Gill nets and trawl nets have wiped these dolphins out almost to the point of extinction, and it’s all because less than one-fifth of their habitat is protected by federal law. At this point, fewer than 10,000 Hector’s dolphins survive, a mere third of their original population.
Meanwhile, only around 50 Māui dolphins remain on earth, and only 13 of these are breeding-aged females. In 2018, one of the last females died just before she was due to give birth. Despite this, fishing with gillnets and trawl nets is still permitted across more than 80% of their critical habitats, making these dolphins’ extinction almost inevitable. It’s long past time for New Zealand to crack down on these outrageously deadly fishing practices. Tell Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to finally take action to extend protections for Hector’s and Māui dolphins throughout their entire habitats! Sign the petition.