Help Save Endangered Māui and Hector's Dolphins 

Māui and Hector’s dolphins are the smallest marine dolphins in the world - and among the most endangered. Found only in the waters of Aotearoa, they are a very important part of our marine ecosystems.
 

Once the most sighted dolphins around both islands, they are now fighting for survival - fewer than 50 Māui dolphins are alive today and only 10,000-15,000 Hector’s dolphins remain - down from nearly 30,000 just 45 years ago. Your support will help draw attention to the issues and empower the public to take action to make a difference.

Stop Sandmining | Save Tara Iti

McCallum Bros Ltd plans to extract nearly 9 million cubic metres of sand from the seabed over the next 35 years, in Mangawhai, Pakiri and Te Akau Bream Bay. Their proposed and ongoing sandmining threatens seabeds, marine life, and  endangered species including the tara iti - our most endangered bird with less than 40 left.

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We need your help to stop this.
 

Your donation will support on-the-ground conservation efforts, raise awareness and pressure decision-makers to reject these sandmining project. 

Awhi Awa | Embrace a Stream

Our new project "Awhi Awa | Embrace a Stream" is dedicated to restoring waterways. By looking after streams and improving stormwater management, we can help our precious biodiversity like endangered freshwater fish and tuna, long-fin eel. ​In 2017, 76 percent of our native freshwater fish were either threatened with or at risk of extinction.

Your Awhi Awa | Embrace a Stream pack includes:

• Information on how to restore the health of our waterways

• Metal signage of an endangered tuna (longfin eel), kōanga (native fish), Māui or Hector's dolphin, made of scrap steel, with drill and screws

• Education material and resources

Protect What's Precious - Every Month!

​New Zealand’s most endangered treasures — the tara iti (NZ fairy tern), the Māui dolphins, and our freshwater fish — are fighting for survival.
They can't wait. They need champions like you.

By becoming a monthly donor, you fund real, on-the-ground action:
✅ Protecting nesting sites
✅ Safeguarding marine habitats
✅ Restoring rivers and wetlands

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​Become a monthly supporter today, and get this hardy mug that will stand the test of time. Together, we can tip the balance toward survival — and a thriving future.

Gift a Shag

Some shags are rare these days - but don't worry - you can get a shag for yourself or gift it to a friend.

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Everyone who gets a shag will receive an official certificate for the critically endangered Chatham Shag, and a factsheet about this wonderful bird and what needs to be done to protect it. 

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Please click below to make a donation. You will receive your receipt automatically and after this, we will email your official certificate and link to the factsheet and more information about this precious, endangered bird.

We Love You, Even If You're Ugly

At the Endangered Species Foundation we save the rarest of the rare. From giant weta fungus to the little known fuzzweed moth - we really do love you, even if you're ugly.

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​By adopting a little known creature in danger of extinction, your donation will go towards helping our most endangered taonga survive.

When you adopt a species, you will receive an official adoption certificate and link to the factsheet about your species from the Endangered Species Foundation.

Cute Chicks Need Our Help

Every year on our beaches, in our forests and rivers, native birds are hatching. These places are their homes and their nurseries. There are many threats to these precious taonga, like wild and domestic cats, and dogs off-leash.

When you sponsor a cute chick, you will receive an official certificate and a link to a flyer about you can help keep cute chicks safe.

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​Your donation will go towards raising awareness of how people can make a difference, so together we can ensure greater protections for some of our most vulnerable, native chicks.