Category: Latest News
Westland Petrel
Fully grown Westland petrels can reach 55cm in length and can weigh up 1.5kg. They only breed in an 8km wide strip of forested foothills close to Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island.
Best time to come Whale Watching
A question I get asked often is “When is the best time to come whale watching?” My first answer would be “Every day is a good day to come whale watching” after all we have sperm whale feeding off our coastline all year round.
Marine Bird Spotlight - Albatross
Along with the amazing marine mammals we encounter in the Kaikōura area, we are privileged to see many other taonga (treasured) species. New Zealand is the seabird capital of the world.
Pilot Whales
In New Zealand we encounter long-finned pilot whales which prefer temperate waters and can be found around the country all year around. The male pilot whales can grow over 6 metres in length and the females grow to about 5 metres.
New Zealand Fur Seal / Kekeno
The Kekeno is the most common seal in New Zealand and their numbers are estimated to be over 200,000 seals. They prefer rocky shore lines and we have plenty of that here in Kaikōura which makes this the perfect place for the New Zealand fur seal. We often see them out on our tours while they are out foraging for food in the Kaikōura canyon.
Hector’s Dolphins / Tutumairekurai
The Hector’s dolphin is endemic to New Zealand and is one of the smallest dolphins in the world! They reach a maximum length of 1.5 meters.
Unique tail of a whale
Whale Watch has been working closely with researchers from the University of Otago in Dunedin in order to learn more about the individual sperm whales sighted in Kaikōura.
Big baleen whale invasion
As we head into the warmer months, it’s now the time we start to see a lot more of the marine giants come into Kaikōura.
“Horo” the Humpback Whale
Kaikōura is a home to semi-resident sperm whales but it is also a place that humpback whales like to repeatedly visit too!
One case in particular is a famous humpback amongst our sea crew, known as “Horo”.
Marine Mammal Spotlight - Dusky Dolphins
Not only do we have the sperm whale off our coastline all year round but Kaikōura is also home to the resident dusky dolphin. On our tours we have around a 50/50 chance of viewing dolphins if time allows and if they are not feeding too far from where we are viewing whales.