Endangered Hector’s & Maui’s Dolphins

Endangered Hector’s & Maui’s Dolphins

Dr Barbara Maas, chief executive of Care for the Wild International, will be visiting New Zealand from Thursday, 27 August, to Friday, 11 September.

Her visit coincides with the delivery of the judicial review in the High Court over fishing restrictions to protect Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins, introduced by the Government in May last year. The Federation of Commercial Fishermen and three regional fishing groups initiated proceedings against the Ministry of Fisheries and previous Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton, challenging the new protection measures.

Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins are found only in this country and are facing extinction as a result of gill netting and trawling. With an estimated population of only about 111 individuals, Maui's dolphins are classified as Critically Endangered in the International Red List of Threatened Species (World Conservation Union - www.redlist.org).

Care for the Wild has funded research at the University of Otago on the Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins, and has been actively involved in the debate about this issue for more than eight years.

Care for the Wild International is a conservation and animal welfare charity that funds practical projects around the world. These projects include making regions in Africa and Asia safe from poachers and rehabilitating sick and injured animals. They also provide a global voice for wildlife through research, education and advocacy, and expose animal cruelty and wildlife crime.
For further information, visit: www.careforthewild.com

ENDS

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