Teacher Resources > Facts about Dolphins & Whales > Facts about Māui and Hector's Dolphins
Facts about Māui and Hector's Dolphins
Factfile
| Scientific name: | Cephalorhynchus hectori/māui |
| Family: | Delphinidae |
| Range: | New Zealand waters |
| Habitat: | Shallow coastal and estuarine waters |
| Status: | Endangered |
| Population: | Fewer than 5,000 |
| Diet: | Small fish, squid, and bottom-living invertebrates |
| Length: | 1.2 - 1.5 m; females slightly larger than males |
| Weight: | 35 - 60 kg |
Identification
| Flukes: | Flukes have concave trailing edges and a slight notch in the middle. Dark above and below. |
| Dorsal fin: | Very distinctive dark, rounded dorsal fin in the middle of the back. |
| Flippers: | Flippers are black or dark gray and have rounded tips. |
| Shape of head: | Blunt head with a black, non-protruding beak. The threat is white and the forehead is gray. A dark band extends from the mouth and eye region to the flipper. |
| Body: | The upper body is mainly light gray. The underside is white with a dark boarder. A white region extends into the lower flank and points toward the tail. |
| Group size: | Usually in groups of 2-8, with up to 50 on occasion. |
| Behaviour: | May bow-ride or wake-ride slow-moving vessels. Sometimes playful and acrobatic. May leap high, breach, or swim upside down. Rarely dives for more than 90 seconds. |
