The secret lives of NZ’s Hector’s and Māui dolphins

Found only in New Zealand waters, the Māui dolphin in particular is in real danger of being lost forever, with only 48 remaining. Urgent action is needed to ensure their survival, says marine scientist Professor Rochelle Constantine.

“We have the opportunity to make better decisions that protect dolphins and people. But when you have a conservation concern, you don’t have the luxury of time.”

Most existing knowledge of the Hector’s and Māui dolphins derives from above-water interactions. Rochelle and the team are using innovative technology in the form of multi-sensor digital archiving tags (DTAGs), which attach using small silicon suction cups, to ‘see’ beneath the surface and reveal new insight into the mammals’ underwater behaviour, acoustics and movement patterns. How deep are they diving, and how fast? How far are they travelling? How much success do they have when foraging?

Already the team have learned the dolphins are travelling farther offshore than previously thought, as well as venturing into fishing zones –but more data collection is needed to expand the research in key locations with small populations of Hector’s dolphins, identify threats and work to mitigate them.

“In New Zealand, we don’t invest much in advanced marine research, but these tools are critical to protecting wildlife,” Rochelle says. “When the ocean thrives, people thrive.”

The dolphin tagging project is one of several supported by donations made through the University’s appeals programme. To enable donors to give to a cause that is meaningful to them, the appeals programme offers a range of options, including the refugee scholarships and alumni scholarships appeals, which have seen continued success over several years.

Despite being a new addition, the dolphin tagging project has already become one of the programme’s most popular appeals – and gifts are still to come. Across the three appeals noted, there was a combined number of 744 donations in 2024, with 138 of these delivered through a new purpose-built website.

The programme encourages participation from many donors for specific causes. In the case of the dolphin tagging project, each donation could be the difference between preserving the Hector’s and Māui dolphins or losing them entirely. As Rochelle says, “If we don’t look after these dolphins, no one else is going to.”