Dolphin Encounter has more than 30 years EXPERIENCE AS a well respected and environmentally responsible eco-tour operator
We are confident that we can introduce you to the world of the dusky dolphins and know that you will leave Kaikōura with a renewed sense of awe for the natural environment. The grace, beauty and curiosity of these sociable and acrobatic dolphins will take your breath away! Either of the tour options we offer, whether it is swimming with the dolphins or watching the dolphins, are renowned as world class experiences.
The dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) belongs to a group known as cetaceans and includes all whales, dolphins and porpoises. The word cetacean is derived from the Latin, cetus (a large sea animal) and the Greek, ketos (sea monster).
Currently there are 92 recognised species of cetacean comprising of 11 species of baleen whale and 70 species of toothed whales which includes all dolphins and porpoises. The dolphin family known as delphinidae, is made up of 33 different members.
Dusky Dolphins
Kaikōura's special dolphin species is the dusky dolphin.
Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) can be found all year round along the east coast of the South Island with some variation in location and habits between the summer and winter months. In the warmer months of October to May, the duskies will move inshore in the early morning each day to the southern side of the Kaikōura Peninsula. During the winter months of June to September the duskies are located further off shore and tend to range over a greater area of the coastline.
Hector's Dolphins
The Hector’s dolphin is endemic to the coastal waters of New Zealand.
Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) have a rounded black dorsal fin and their bodies are a distinctive grey, with white and black markings and a short snout. They produce just one calf every two to three years. Along the Kaikōura coast, they can be found in close coastal waters and it is not uncommon to see them around the Kaikōura Peninsula and along the beaches that stretch to the north and south of the peninsula.
Common Dolphins
While common dolphin sightings are mainly in the summer, winter sightings are not uncommon.
Common dolphins (Delphinus delphus) are seen in Kaikōura mainly in the summer time, although winter sightings are not uncommon and usually associated with pods of dusky dolphins. The common dolphin species found in New Zealand waters are known as the short-beaked common dolphin and can also be found in many other tropical and temperate waters worldwide. They are slightly larger than dusky dolphins, with a much more pronounced beak or rostrum. Common dolphins are one of the only tricolour dolphins, very distinctive with their hourglass pattern of grey, white and yellow.
Orca
Orca or killer whales, travel through the coastal waters of Kaikōura intermittently throughout the year, but particularly during the warmer months of September through to April.
Orca (Orcinus orca) are the largest of the dolphin species reaching lengths of up to 9m, with males weighing as much as 5,000 kg and females around 2,500 kg. When spotted on our dolphin tours, orca are often a highlight for those lucky enough to see them, due to their unpredictability we can never tell when we are going to see them, so they are very much a chance encounter.
