The Maui’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) is the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin. They only live on the coast West Coast of New Zealand’s North Island and there are less than 110 dolphins remaining!
According to an article on telegraph.co.uk New Zealand will put new conservation measurements in effect to prevent the Maui’s dolphin to go extinct. As commercial and recreational fishing is blamed for most deaths to the dolphins measures will be taken to fisheries in the affected areas.
This will also help the Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) which also has declined a lot from 29,000 in the 1970s to just 7,000 today.
Both the fishers and conservationists are skeptical if the measures will help, but let us hope that these latest actions from the government in New Zealand are enough to stop the Maui’s dolphin from going extinct.
