Māui Dolphin | Popoto
Māui are found only on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island and are the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world, with a unique rounded dorsal fin. It is thought that there are less than 50 Māui remaining and much is needed to save these endangered dolphins from extinction.
There are so few Māui dolphins left in the world, they are classified as Nationally Critical.
Quick facts
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They are found only on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island and are the smallest, and some of the rarest dolphins in the world, with a unique rounded dorsal fin.
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They have a shorter lifespan than other dolphins, only living till their mid-20s.
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Females typically give birth to their first calves between five – nine years of age and only have one calf every two – four years.
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They mainly communicate using clicks, which are so high-pitched humans can’t hear them.
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Māui dolphins are closely related to Hector’s dolphins – while they look identical they are genetically different.
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Māui dolphins are currently capable of increasing their population by around 2% each year but with the increase of natural and human factors that are impacting their birth and morality rates, they are highly at risk.
Habitat
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Māui dolphins are only found on the west coast of the North Island from Maunganui Bluff to Whanganui.
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They can often be seen near Manukau Harbour and Port Waikato near shores and harbour mouths.
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They swim to depths of 100m and out to 20 nautical miles.
Both environmental and human factors are putting the Māui dolphin at significant risk.
Threats:
Destructive Fishing Practices
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Entanglement in nets has been the largest cause of human related Māui dolphin deaths.
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The fishing industry has killed more Māui and Hector’s dolphins than any other known cause.
Boat Strikes
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Dolphins, and especially calves are unable to dive quickly and deeply enough to avoid fast moving boats.
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On 6 March 2025 a very small Hector’s dolphin calf was found around 2km off Lyttelton harbour mouth, killed by boat strike.
Climate Change
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The increased frequency of extreme weather events are a possible reason for the separation of Hector dolphin calves from their mothers, resulting in the death of the calf.
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Rising sea temperatures can also disrupt the food web, and if their prey move to deeper or cooler waters, dolphins may struggle to find food.
Toxins and Disease
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Pollution such as plastic debris, litter, metal toxins, oil spills, pathogens and organochlorines are also increasingly harming the Māui dolphin population.
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Brucella abortus is a pathogen caused by bacteria that can cause late pregnancy abortions.
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Toxoplasmosis is parasitic disease that can effect dolphins. The main source of infection for dolphins is freshwater run-off contaminated with cat faeces. Toxoplasmosis can cause death, still births and reduced reproductive rates.
What Needs To Be Done
Urgent implementation of key measures, alongside strong legislative and community backing, is essential to save the critically endangered Māui dolphins and ensure the health of Aotearoa’s marine ecosystems.
1. Expand Protected Areas and Fishing Bans
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Extend marine protected areas to cover the entire Māui dolphin habitat out to the 20nm / 100m deep range that they are known to occupy.
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Ban both set net fishing and trawl fishing within this range to eliminate harmful practices in their critical habitat.
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Support a ban on bottom trawling in Aotearoa and our EEZ for the Hector's dolphin and other marine species
2. Sustainable Fishing Practices
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Reduce catch limits for commercial and recreational fishing within the Māui dolphin habitat to allow for an overall increase in marine bio-abundance, ensuring a healthier ecosystem for prey species.
3. Addressing Climate Change
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Take strong action to combat climate change, a major factor affecting ocean health and the ecosystems Māui dolphins rely on.
5. Public Engagement
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Encourage reporting of Māui and Hectors dolphin sightings, illegal activities, and environmental hazards.
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Engage communities in monitoring and conservation efforts.
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Restore waterways that feed into the ocean.
6. Monitoring and Research of Threats and Solutions
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Ongoing studies to assess the health, population dynamics, and risks faced by Māui dolphins.
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Invest in understanding how diseases and pollutants interact with other threats, and prioritise preventative measures
How can you help?
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Report Māui dolphin sightings - 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or report via this form
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Support calls for Māui protected areas to be extended and for a ban on trawling and net fishing in the entire Māui habitat.
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Support practices to end feral cat populations and for a National Cat Act, which will mean all domestic cats are microchipped and registered.
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Support a ban on bottom trawling in Aotearoa and our EEZ for the Hector's dolphin and other at risk marine species
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Vote for candidates in elections who support better environmental policies.
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Include green spaces in your garden to filter rainwater and reduce runoff.
- Use eco-friendly cleaning products.
- Reduce your use of plastic - it break downs and find its way into waterways.
