Wooohooo! FINALLY saw my first ever Hectors dolphin here in beautiful Ōtepoti / Dunedin in Aotearoa/ New Zealand yesterday!
This lil dude and his friend rode the bow of @monarchwildlife for a wee while as we ventured out to sea to find northern royal albatrosses ????
These endangered beauties are the rarest dolphins in the world – there’s only 7000 left and they’re only found around the South Island of Aotearoa / New Zealand. They’re also the smallest dolly, measuring just 1.5m (4 feet) and weighing in at 50kg (110 pounds). Absolute pocket rockets!
Māori people know them by various names, including Tutumairekurai (Ocean dwellers), Taniwha (water spirits/guardians) and tūpoupou (to rise up), with some communities believing them to be the spirits of the dead.
Such magical little beauties ????
Snapped on an editorial assignment and hosted the by @dunedinnz
-Rachelle
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