Article Summary:

The New Zealand World Wildlife Federation (WWF-NZ) has issued a call for action to sign a petition to help protect the dwindling endangered populations of Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins, two species of cetaceans native only to New Zealand. In the 1970s, there were as many as 26,000 Hector’s dolphins, but now they number 7,000. The situation is worse for Maui’s dolphins - only an estimated 111 remain, and they are labeled critically endangered.

Fishing nets are the primary cause of death annually, and the WWF petition calls on New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to introduce a ban on set nets in New Zealand territorial waters and limit trawling in shallow waters while implementing a plan for the recovery of both species. Take a moment to sign the petition before October 22, 2007 - it requires only your real name and address - and you could help save these groups of dolphins.