Introduction
Sharing the beach with seals
As an island nation, with most Kiwis living within an hour of the coast, most of us will be fortunate enough at some stage to encounter marine mammals - whether seals or sea lions hauled out on shore, or dolphins and whales at sea.
From the tip of the north to the deep south, New Zealand is a hotspot for marine mammals. Dolphins mingle with the boaties in Auckland's back yard, the Hauraki Gulf. Seals laze on the capital city's southern coast, and even whales can be seen resting between dives above the Kaikoura canyon, the South Island's marine mammal Mecca.
Hunting in the past reduced many marine mammal populations to a fraction of their former size. Nowadays, cameras have replaced harpoons and clubs and some marine mammal populations have been slowly recovering.
However, with growing public interest in marine mammals and the expansion in sea-based tourism come a new suite of threats, including boat strike, noise pollution, harassment, displacement and separation of mothers and their young. The Marine Mammal Protection Regulations 1992, as summarised here, aim to minimise these threats by prescribing appropriate behaviour around marine mammals. Commercial tourist operators require permits and are subject to further rules.
If you see whales, dolphins or seals while boating or visiting the coast, a few simple rules will ensure an enjoyable encounter for you and for them.