Help study Hector's dolphin movements with phone app

Thursday, 6 October 2016

Marlburians and visitors to the region are being asked to help study endangered dolphins with a phone app.

The free app, called Hector's Dolphin Sightings' was developed by Wellington company ThunderMaps, in conjunction with Whale & Dolphin Conservation consultant Gemma McGrath.

It allows users to instantly upload photos of the dolphins so that scientists can learn more about their movements in the top of the south.

Hector's dolphins are the smallest dolphins in the world and are unique to our coasts, but little is known about their local movements in the region.

Recent aerial surveys sighted three Hector's in Golden Bay and there is a resident population of about 20 in the Marlborough Sound's Queen Charlotte Sound. Hector's dolphins are also sometimes seen off Nelson's Boulder Bank, the Abel Tasman and other parts of the Marlborough Sounds.

'Locals are excellent citizen scientists. You're out observing the environment every day. With correct species identification, you can provide real scientific data.

'Hector's dolphins are very distinctive from other dolphins. There's nothing pointy about their fins, they're very smooth and rounded.

'All other dolphin species have pointed fins. It's now really fun and easy to report sightings, at the touch of a few buttons,' Gemma says.

Department of Conservation marine species team member Hannah Hendriks says the data will help them understand what areas are important for these dolphins, at a local level.

'They are more often seen during the summer months, but they could turn up anytime, anywhere. Now's also a great time to enter any historical sightings you remember and make a test sighting,' Gemma says.

Data will be co-managed with DOC, universities and other scientists to assist in dolphin conservation and local knowledge gaps.