Learn more about some of Kaikōura’s native species!

Hector’s dolphin/tutumairekurai (Cephalorhynchus hectori)

hectors-factfile

  • Size: 1.2-1.6 metres, 45-60 kg
  • Lifespan: Up to 25 years
  • Diet: small fish, squid and crustaceans
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Endangered
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.
*Approximately 300 Hector’s dolphins use the area between the Hapuku river mouth and the Haumuri bluffs, for more see:
J. Weir & O. Sagnol.  2015. Distribution and abundance of Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) off Kaikoura, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 49: 376–389

Little blue penguin/kororā (Eudyptula Minor)

Penguin-for-homepage

  • Size: 40 centimetres
  • Lifespan: 6 years
  • Diet: Small fish and crustaceans
  • Conservation Status: Declining
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Sperm whale/parāoa (Physeter macrocephalus)

photo-for-sperm-whale-factfile

  • Size: Male 14-18 metres and 43,000-56,000 kg, females 11-12 metres and 13,000-20,000 kg
  • Lifespan: At least 60-70 years
  • Diet: medium-large squid species, deep-sea sharks, octopus, rays and fish
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Vulnerable

When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus)

dusky-factfile-newest

    • Size: 1.6-1.9 metres, 70-85 kg
    • Lifespan: 26-30 years
    • Diet: small schooling fish and some larger fish species, squid
    • New Zealand Threat Classification: Data deficient
    • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Humpback whale/paikea (Megaptera  novaeangliae)

humpback-for-factfile

  • Size: Up to 17 metres long, up to 40,000 kg
  • Lifespan: At least 50 years
  • Diet: krill and schooling fish
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Least concern
  • When to see in Kaikōura: May/June and October/November are the best times to see Humpback whales on their annual migration past Kaikōura.

Killer whale/maki (Orcinus Orca)

orca-for-factfile

  • Size: Males up to 9.8 metres long and 10,000 kg, females up to 8.5 meters long and 7500 kg
  • Lifespan: male at least 50-60 years, females at least 80-90 years
  • Diet: fish (including sharks and rays), squids, octopuses, penguins and other seabirds, turtles, seals, whales, porpoises and other dolphin species.
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Data deficient
  • When to see in Kaikōura: Can come through Kaikōura at anytime of the year.

New Zealand fur seal/kekeno (Arctocephalus forsteri)

fur-seal-factfile

  • Size: Males up to 2.5 metres and 90-150 kg, females up to 1.5 metres and 30-50 kg
  • Lifespan: Up to 15 years
  • Diet: Squid and fish
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Least concern
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Short-beaked common dolphin/popokanua (Delphinus dolphin)

common-dolphin-factfile

  • Size: Male 1.7-2.4 metres, female 1.6-2.2 metres, both up to 200kg
  • Lifespan: At least 25 years
  • Diet: small schooling fish and squid
  • New Zealand Threat Classification: Least concern
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Hutton’s shearwater/tītī (Puffinus Huttoni)

huttons-for-factfile

  • Size: 36-38 centimetres
  • Lifespan: Find
  • Diet: Fish and crustaceans
  • Conservation Status: Nationally vulnerable
  • When to see in Kaikōura: August – March.

*Learn more about the endangered Hutton’s Shearwaters, and the efforts to protect them in Kaikōura, here.

Southern royal albatross/toroa (Procellariformes Diomedeidae) *

SR-for-factfile

  • Size: 1.2 metres
  • Lifespan: Into their forties
  • Diet: Newly spawned squid and octopuses, fish, crustaceans
  • Conservation Status: Naturally Uncommon
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

*The Southern Royal is just one of several albatross species found around Kaikoura

Giant petrel /pāngurunguru (Macronectes halli)

giant-petrel-for-factfile

  • Size: 80-95 centimetres
  • Lifespan: 25 years
  • Diet: Scavenge corpses of mammals and birds, penguin and albatross chicks, other seabirds and fish
  • Conservation Status: Recovering
  • When to see in Kaikōura: All year round.

Banded dotterel/tūturiwhatu (Charadrius bicinctus)

dotterel-for-factfile

  • Size: 20 centimetres
  • Lifespan: Up to 12 years
  • Diet: Crustaceans, flies, worms, insect larvae
  • Conservation Status: Nationally Vulnerable
  • When to see in Kaikōura: July – February.

Read more about conservation work going on to help the Banded Dotterel’s here.

Australasian gannet/tākapu (Morus serrator)

gannet-for-factfile

  • Size: 85-94 centimetres
  • Lifespan: 25-38 years
  • Diet: Fish and squid
  • Conservation Status: Not threatened
  • When to see in Kaikōura: July – March.

References:

  • Baker, C.S., B.L. Chilvers, S. Childerhouse, R. Constantine, R. Currey, R. Mattlin, A. van Helden, R. Hitchmough and J. Rolf, Conservation status of New Zealand marine mammals, 2013, New Zealand Threat Classification Series 14, Wellington: Department of Conservation
  • Department of Conservation Website, https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/, Accessed: 2018
  • New Zealand Birds Online, http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/, Accessed: 2018
  • Todd, B. 2014. Whales and Dolphins of Aotearoa New Zealand, Wellington : Te Papa Press.      
  • Weir, J. & O. Sagnol.  2015. Distribution and abundance of Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) off Kaikoura, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 49: 376–389.