Surfers to hit Piha ‘Maui’s Trail’ to help save endangered dolphins

What: WWF is running a ‘Maui’s Trail’ event to coincide with the 2013 National Scholastic Surfing Championships. Maui’s action stations will be set up to help surfers learn more about the threats to these dolphins, where they are found and how they can help save the remaining 55 Maui’s Dolphins.

Who: Regional surfing teams participating in the National Scholastics Surfing Champs, spectators and friends are also welcome to participate.

Where: South Piha beach

When: Wednesday 2 October or Thursday 3 October 2013 (depending on surf).

Time and location tbc via:

• noticeboard located at the event site at South Piha beach.

• event hotline 0211134506 updated at 7am each morning.

• facebook page www.facebook.com/surfingnz and twitter www.twitter.com/surfingnz

The National Scholastic Surfing Championships are a prestigious competition, which attracts the most talented school-aged surfers from around the country. WWF’s Maui action stations will be set up to help young surfers learn more about these dolphins and about how they can help save them from extinction. The location of the 2013 event at Piha has special relevance as the site of a number of Maui’s sightings made by surfers.

“These endangered and beautiful animals only exist on the west coast of New Zealand. The time is now to save them, before it’s too late, said WWF Marine Species Advocate Milena Palka.

“The surf community can help make a difference by letting us know when they see Maui’s in the water. The more we know the more we can do to save them.

“WWF’s Maui’s hotline (08004MAUIS) has already helped expand protection for Maui’s but more needs to be done to protect them.

Surf team manager, Keone Campbell is supporting WWF’s campaign to save Maui’s from extinction. He said: “Surfers share the waves with these amazing dolphins and we can help save them. If you see them in the surf, ring the 08004MAUIS hotline when you get back in. Together we can all make a real difference.

Only about 55 Maui’s dolphins over the age of one year survive. The Government has banned trawl and gillnet fishing in some parts of Maui’s habitat, but there are still areas of their habitat which are unprotected. WWF wants to stop gillnetting across the full range of the Maui’s habitat.
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