As Emeritus Professor’s Liz Slooten and Steve Dawson pass the baton for Hector’s Dolphin conservation, we take a look back to their chance encounter with our founder Ron Bingham, and how their dedication to research leaves a lasting legacy in Akaroa and beyond.
Category Archives: Hector’s Dolphins
How did we get here? Hector’s dolphins (Upokohue) are NZ’s own native dolphins. They are a ‘nationally vulnerable species’ with the population hovering around 15,000. For reference there are about 68,000 kiwi (birds) in NZ. The government through MPI (ministry for primary industries) has been consulting with interested parties on a ‘Threat Management Plan’ (TMP). […]
Research shows Hector’s dolphin sightings have moved further down Akaroa Harbour This week, the Department of Conservation have released research into the distribution of the Hector’s dolphins within Akaroa Harbour. The research concluded that over the past 20 years, the local Hector’s dolphin population is sighted less frequently in the inner harbour region, and more […]
What is this about? Just under a year ago, a very important matter regarding the future of Hector’s dolphins was opened to submissions from the public. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was trying to decide how to further protect Hector’s and Maui dolphins from ‘Bycatch’. Bycatch refers to accidentally catching one species […]
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SEAWEEK LIVE IN LYTTELTON – FREE LIVE STREAMED EVENT FOR KIDS
SEAWEEK FUN…. Every year Black Cat Cruises join in with the national celebration of Seaweek. Seaweek is an opportunity to celebrate connecting with our seas….and what better way than instilling that connection with our youngest generation from the very start? So read on and discover the link to our free live concert…and our brand new […]
How much do you know about the different Hector’s Dolphin populations around the country? Where exactly do they live? As an ecotourism operator local to Canterbury, we are obviously guilty of focusing on the 1000 or so dolphins that live around our harbours. Banks Peninsula is of special importance to us, being our home for […]
Hector’s Dolphins SOS…. We can never know how many of the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin’s die in fishing nets every year. Many reports are under-estimated and require self reporting by fishermen. Even so, some organisations claim up to 150 Hector’s dolphins are killed in nets each year. Fair to say, the Hector’s and Maui […]
Learn about the Hector’s dolphin both on and off the water……. Did you know that we can now provide a free Education Programme focused on Hector’s dolphin to all Kiwi schools and students thanks to all of our customers. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU…… WHAT’S INCLUDED Every cruise or swim with the Hector’s […]
Hi guys, we hope you are all keeping safe and well. Over the last month here at Black Cat we’ve taken time to pause, take a deep breath and connect with family and friends either in our bubble or online. We’ve also been busy working on projects so that when the time is right we […]
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Celebrate Seaweek 2020
Celebrate Seaweek 2020 by cruising stunning Lyttelton Harbour with Black Cat Cruises and the NZ Whale and Dolphin Trust! Each cruise will also host a very special expert guest from the trust, so you can you learn directly from the scientists studying Hector’s dolphins. What is Seaweek? Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana is New Zealand’s annual national week […]