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Bottlenose dolphins breaching

Landmark report reveals UK wildlife’s devastating decline

With whales and dolphins already facing many threats, a landmark report released this week reveals...
Dolphins with oil rig

Go ahead for new UK oil and gas exploration threatens whales and dolphins

Permission has been granted for the development of the UK's biggest untapped oilfield off Shetland,...
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...

IWC calls on NZ Government to take action to prevent extinction of Māui’s dolphin

The Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has said that urgent action is needed to prevent one of the world’s most endangered dolphins from becoming extinct.

The Māui’s dolphin is only found in New Zealand, a sub-species of the more numerous but still rare New Zealand dolphin. Found only in waters around the North Island, the population is estimated to be less than 50 individuals, with perhaps only a quarter of these breeding age female dolphins.

Entanglement in fishing nets is the main threat to the dolphins and the IWC’s latest report states that while the New Zealand Government has been carrying out research into the issue in recent years, it has not done enough to control fishing operations in the waters where the dolphins are found and reduce the threat.

About George Berry

George is a member of WDC's Communications team and website coordinator.