Marine Mammals
Pinnipeds
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NZ Fur Seal
Fur seals/kekeno were once hunted for their pelts, nearly driving the species to extinction. Whilst fur seals are recolonising the mainland, the population has not reached its former abundance. Today’s nationwide population has recovered to 200,000 individuals, though numbers were once around 2 million. This means fur seal populations continue to be on the road to recovery, enabled by protection under the Marine Mammal Act 1978.
Although fur seals are no longer on the brink of extinction, they continue to face human related threats. Fur seals are drowned in trawling and long line fisheries, impacted by overfishing, climate change, marine debris entanglement, intentional harm and dog attacks.
In Kaikōura seal colonies are a visitor attraction, with resting and nursing seals experiencing significant human disturbance. Unfortunately fur seals remain subject to ongoing starvation, as well as suffering from distemper virus.
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Leopard Seal
Leopard seals/popoikore primarily inhabit the Antarctic pack ice, dispersing northwards in the southern ocean during autumn and winter.
New Zealand is home to resident and vagrant leopard seals, which visit the mainland coastline for brief stops, or for months and years at a time. Kaikōura is a regular leopard seal haul out spot.
The public is encouraged to submit sightings, to aid with monitoring this protected species. Data collection helps with identifying and re-sighting migrating individuals, as well as logging haul out sites.
Reported sightings are valuable for conservation management, helping to increase understanding of leopard seal occurrence and movements.
You can report leopard seal sightings on 0800 LEOPARD (0800 536 7273) or the DOC Hotline on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).
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Elephant Seal
The southern elephant seal/ihupuku is the largest species of seal in the world. Elephant seals are residents of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands and occasionally visit our coastline.
Elephant seals range throughout the southern ocean, around the Antarctic continent and subantarctic islands. In winter they may frequent various mainland locations, hauling out on sand or gravel beaches. When visiting our coastlines to rest or moult, elephant seals can stay in an area for months.
There has been a long-term annual decline at most colonies due to human related threats, such as commercial exploitation of prey stocks. It is also possible that elephant seals are affected by ship-strike and fishing mortality, though little information exists on these impacts.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) encourages reporting of elephant seal sightings.
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Guidelines
It is a privilege to see seals around our coastline, and we can ensure that they are welcome and treated with respect.
Please never directly approach a seal, and follow these guidelines to reduce human disturbance:
• Maintain at least a 20m minimum distance.
• Never attempt to touch seals.
• Walk slowly and gently near seals.
• Do not disturb resting seals by making loud noises or otherwise harassing these animals.
• Keep a clear path between a seal and the sea at all times, so that it can depart when needed.
• To avoid dog attacks, please keep dogs under control on a lead in coastal areas and maintain a 20m distance from seals.
• When photographing seals, use the zoom function on your camera and maintain a minimum distance at all times.
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Reporting
If you encounter a seal it is generally best to leave it alone, however there are exceptions. The Department of Conservation (DOC) may intervene if a seal is:
- in poor condition and suffering
- entangled in marine debris
- in immediate danger
- causing disruption, e.g. trapped on a road
- being harassed by people or dogs
- you suspect a wildlife crime/intentional harm.
It is an offence under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 to disturb, harass, harm, injure or kill a seal; with a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and fine of $250,000.
Please do not attempt to handle an unwell seal, they can be aggressive when stressed. If you are concerned that a seal is seriously injured, in danger or being harassed, please call the DOC Hotline on 0800 362 468.
Whales
Almost half of the world’s cetacean species are found in New Zealand waters, with Kaikōura renowned as a marine mammal hotspot. Here you can sight many whale/tohorā species, including sperm, humpback, southern right, pilot, minke, beaked and blue whales.
The Kaikōura region is unique in being home to a year round resident population of at-risk sperm whales/parāoa. Kaikōura’s sperm whales are the most well-studied New Zealand population, including both resident and transient individuals, consisting of predominantly males. 89 sperm whales were recorded in Kaikōura in 1991, compared to 40 individuals documented in 2017. Long-term decline has lead to fewer resident whales, with ongoing displacement remaining a concern in relation to decreased ocean productivity and human disturbance.
An abundance of migratory whale species travel through Kaikōura’s waters, including humpback whales/paikea, typically sighted in inshore waters from May-September. Peak migration is from June to August, when humpback whales travel north from Antarctic feeding grounds, journeying past Kaikōura to breed in tropical waters.
Orca/kera wera spend time in Kaikōura coastal waters throughout the year, particularly from September to April.
Dolphins
Kaikōura is recognised as a site to regularly encounter dolphins. A variety of dolphins/aihe are found off Kaikōura, including Hector’s, dusky, common, bottlenose, and southern right whale dolphins.
The endangered Hector’s dolphin/tutumairekurai is unique in being endemic to New Zealand, with small sub-populations residing in Kaikōura coastal waters north and south of the peninsula. Hector’s dolphins have unique markings and a distinctive rounded dorsal fin akin to a Mickey Mouse ear. Along with the critically endangered Māui dolphin, this is the smallest and rarest dolphin species in the world. They continue to be threatened by commercial and recreational fishing.
Dusky dolphins can be sighted throughout the year in Kaikōura, with variations in location and habits between the summer and winter months. From October to May, dusky dolphins congregate in large groups inshore and off the Kaikōura Peninsula. During April to September, pods are located further offshore and range over a wider area of the coastline.
Common dolphins are generally sighted over the summer period, while bottlenose dolphin sightings occur periodically, both often associated with pods of dusky dolphins.
