The dolphin you didn't know existed, might soon disappear
and the importance of magroves
Dear Seaspirians,
The Hector’s dolphin is the world’s smallest dolphin, endemic to New Zealand’s coastal waters. Today, its population is severely threatened by the country’s intense fishing industry. Below a story of what is happening to the Kiwis of the Sea! We hope you enjoy.
Scroll down to stay current 🌊
Sea Stories
🐬 The Kiwi of the Sea
written by Lauren Duke, crew member of Sea Shepherd New Zealand
Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata.
This is a whakatauki, a Māori proverb widely known in Aotearoa (New Zealand) that means “if the land is well and the sea is well, so too are the people”.
The literal truths of this proverb are obvious: our lives are reliant on clean water, healthy soil, and fresh air. More and more research highlights how our mental health is connected to the natural world, as it reduces stress while inspiring creativity and joy. This reflects the spiritual beliefs of the Māori people, who have deep relationships with the land and the sea, as well as the plants and animals who also call these lands home. If our native species are threatened, so is the wellbeing of Aotearoa’s people. One of these species is the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world, the Hector’s dolphin, with one of its subspecies, the Māui dolphin, critically endangered with only 55 individuals left.
The Hector’s dolphin has different Māori names, depending on the region. Tutumairekurai and tūpoupou are common, while pahu is often used and has been adopted by Sea Shepherd New Zealand in their campaign to protect these dolphins. An old Māori belief is that spirits that have passed may come back as tutumairekurai, so they are viewed as extensions of the family, worthy of deep respect. Historically, these dolphins were so common that it was laughable to think that they would ever be classed as endangered. Now only 10,000 remain in the waters surrounding Aotearoa, meaning they are “nationally vulnerable”.
📺 What we’re watching: Return of the Mangroves
📚What we’re reading: Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans, by Sylvia Earle
📸 Who we’re following: @mangroveactionproject
🤯 Mindblowing ocean fact we learnt this month: there are only 50 Maui dolphins left in the world (a sub-species of the Hector’s dolphin)