14 DAY TRIAL // In 20 years, there might be no Maui's dolphins left to inhabit the waters surrounding New Zealand. Conservationists urge that the country's government immediately implement measures to protect these marine mammals.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) explains that, for the time being, there are only 100 Maui's dolphins left in the world.
In six years' time, the headcount for adult breeding females belonging to this subspecies will drop to 10 individuals. From this moment on, the dolphins will inevitably head towards extinction.
“Maui's dolphin, found off the west coast of North Island in New Zealand, has recently been identified as a subspecies of Hector's dolphin.
“This subspecies is the world's rarest marine dolphin – there are around 100 in the wild – and more than one human induced death every seven years seriously threatens its chances of recovery,” the WWF writes.
The organization believes the long-term survival of this subspecies of dolphins depends on New Zealand's government's willingness to ban the use of fishing gear known to harm marine wildlife in areas inhabited by them.
High officials must also make sure that local fishermen get behind efforts to protect Maui's dolphin, especially seeing how 95% of all unnatural Maui’s dolphin deaths are due to entanglement and drowning in gillnet or trawl fishing.
“The government needs to step up now to do everything in its power to save Maui’s dolphins,” the Executive Director of WWF-New Zealand, Chris Howe, points out.
“We call on Conservation Minister Nick Smith and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy to announce permanent measures that remove fishing gear which kills dolphins from their waters, and help affected fishermen adopt dolphin-friendly methods. Anything less will not give the species a fighting chance at survival,” he stresses.
The report warning about the Maui's dolphin imminent demise was issued by the Scientific Committee on the International Whaling Commission earlier this week.