DOING OUR BIT

Protecting Our Treasures

We’re so proud of our beautiful Hector’s Dolphins. They are only found in New Zealand and are rarer than kiwis.

Of a population of between 5,000 and 7,000, 900 choose Banks Peninsula as their home. This means they can be spotted in Akaroa Harbour and we have many dolphin cruises on offer so you can catch a glimpse for yourself, or even swim alongside them. They are a wonderful asset to our community.

To ensure they continue to thrive we have introduced our own fundraising initiative. If you choose to forgo your room service while staying with us we will make a $5 donation to the local Hector’s Dolphins on your behalf.

DONATE LOCALLY

The NZ Whale and Dolphin Trust have been working hard to protect the Hector’s dolphins. They carry out research on the dolphins, and provide advice to the Department of Conservation and Ministry for Primary Industries, encouraging them to better protect the dolphins. Your donations will go towards boat fuel, boat maintenance and camera equipment to take photographs of individual dolphins. These individually recognisable dolphins provide valuable information on survival, reproduction and dolphin movements. These data are critical for deciding how and where to protect dolphins.