Dolphins in Kaikoura, New Zealand.

Dolphins in Kaikoura, New Zealand.

( delphinidae )
Dusky dolphin leaping.

Dolphins are the largest group of the cetacean family. Several species of these dolphins inhabit New Zealand water. Large pods of Dusky dolphins frequent the waters around Kaikoura with occasional visits from Bottle nose, Common,and Southern Right Whale dolphins. Small numbers of the rare and edangered Hectors dolphins are also resident in the area.

Dolphins probably become sexually mature at 3 - 4 years and live for about 25 - 30 years. Mating is usually preceded by courtship behaviour. They are very social animals and although seen individually or in small groups at times they are usually in large pods sometimes numbering hundreds. Dolphins differ from other mammals in that their breathing is conscious (they do not breathe automatically as humans do) thus when they require sleep they only half of the brain sleeps at a time. Sonar is highly developed and is used for navigation as well as echolocation of prey when hunting.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Amongst the largest of the dolphins, they can grow to nearly 4 metres. A friendly animal with a beak that appears to have a permanent grin, they are light to dark grey on the top fading to white on the belly. Dorsal fin is hooked. Often encountered inshore in small groups.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)
Common dolphins have a distinct beak smoothly sloping head and high dorsal fin. Colour is dark grey to purplish black dorsal sector, white ventral sector and anterior parts light tan except for the dark tail. They grow to about 2 metres and inhabit most New Zealand coastal waters. Often seen swimming with the Dusky dolphins in Kaikoura.

Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus)
By far the most playful of the dolphins and often called the clowns of the sea. They grow to about 2 metres, have virtually no beak and a hooked dorsal fin with a blunt tip. They are coloured bluish black on the back and tail with a greyish white underbody. Truly graceful and acrobatic they can reach high speeds and love to ride the bow waves or wake of boats. "Duskies" are the Dolphins most commonly seen in Kaikoura. Large pods, sometimes numbering in the hundreds can be seen close to the coast in summer and offshore during the winter. Swimming with these dolphins in their own environment is an experience that few people will ever forget.

Hectors dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori), one of the worlds rarest and smallest dolphins, are about 50cm at birth growing to a maximum of 1.8 metres. They have light gray to light brown backs with the tips of the lower jaw, sides of the head and fins blackish. The underbody is whitish. The beak is barely discernable while their distinctive dorsal fin is shaped like "Mickey Mouse" ears and is blackish. They inhabit the cloudy waters coastal or estuarine waters and have diet of bottom dwelling fish, anchovies, crustaceans and squid.

Southern Right Dolphins
(Lissodelphis peronii)
A striking dolphin with a distinctive Yin Yan like colouring, black on top & white underside. Growing to about 2.3 metres, they are very streamlined and travel very fast. Like the Southern Right Whale, they have no dorsal fin and very little beak. Although they often travel in pods of up to 1000, sightings are not common.