Kaikōura IMMA
Size in Square Kilometres
4,347 km2
Qualifying Species and Criteria
Hector’s dolphin – Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori
Criterion A
Antarctic blue whale – Balaenoptera musculus intermedia
Criterion A
Pygmy blue whale – Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda
Criterion A
Sperm whale – Physeter macrocephalus
Criterion A
New Zealand fur seal – Arctocephalus forsteri
Criterion C (1)
Criterion D (2) – Marine Mammal Diversity
Aethalodelphis obscurus, Arctocephalus forsteri, Balaenoptera borealis, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda, Balaenoptera musculus intermedia, Balaenoptera physalus, Cephalorhynchus hectori, Delphinus delphis, Eubalaena australis, Globicephala melas, Hydrurga leptonyx, Lissodelphis peronii, Megaptera novaeangliae, Mirounga leonina, Orcinus orca, Physeter macrocephalus, Tursiops truncatus
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Summary
This IMMA spans the coastal waters of Kāikoura to the deep waters of the Hikurangi Trench. It encompasses two marine mammal protected sites and important habitat for Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). There are several breeding and feeding areas for New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) in with the well-established Ōhau Point colony. Dusky dolphins (Aethalodelphis obscurus) feed on mesopelagic fish and squid migrating to the surface at night. They use nearshore waters during the day to rest and socialise. Hector’s dolphins are found near large river mouths and in nearshore coastal waters. A barrier formed by the Kaikōura Canyon largely isolates Hector’s dolphins to the north and south, with small home-ranges and genetic differences between the two sub-populations. Humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) migrate past as populations recover from whaling.
Description of Qualifying Criteria
Criterion A – Species or Population Vulnerability
The IMMA contains year-round habitat for two genetically differentiated populations of Hector’s dolphins (Hamner et al. 2016). The species is red-listed as Endangered by IUCN. The two Kāikoura populations are quite isolated and as such, both require conservation action (Roberts et al. 2019). Both Antarctic (Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List) and pygmy blue whales (Red-Listed as Endangered) are regularly sighted in this region and recent acoustic surveys detected blue whales throughout most of the year (Warren et al. 2021). There were peaks in Antarctic blue whale calls from June – November and pygmy blue whale calls peaked from March – June with low level detections during other months (Warren et al. 2021).
Criterion C: Key Life Cycle Activities
Sub-criterion C1: Reproductive Areas
The Kaikōura region has several large pupping grounds for New Zealand fur seals (Boren et al. 2006). These are well-established along the rocky coastline but also include an inland forested stream area at Ōhau Point where pups aggregate before weaning (Acevedo-Gutiérrez et al. 2011, Boren et al. 2002). Resource availability is an important predictor of breeding sites for New Zealand fur seals, and Kaikōura has a highly suitable coastline for breeding and area restricted feeding habitat (Bradshaw et al. 2002). The impacts from land- and boat-based tourism on cetaceans and pinnipeds are well-managed, including viewing pups in the inland forested stream area at Ōhau Point (Acevedo-Gutiérrez et al. 2011, Boren et al. 2002, Lundquist et al. 2012, Richter et al. 2006).
Criterion D: Special Attributes
Sub-criterion D2: Diversity
Kaikōura is one of New Zealand’s cetacean hotspots (Stephenson et al. 2020). The region has resident sub-populations of Hector’s dolphins, seasonally resident dusky dolphins that use nearshore waters during the day then move offshore at night to feed. There are frequently sighted but non-resident common bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and southern right whale dolphins. There is also the year-round presence of primarily young male sperm whales feeding in the deeper canyon waters (Guerra et al. 2017). Long-finned pilot whales and beaked whales are sighted in deeper offshore waters where they are likely foraging on squids and fishes (Meyer 2020). There are seasonal sightings of migratory humpback whales, and both Antarctic and pygmy blue whales as they migrate past the east coast of the South Island. There are also occasional sightings of sei and fin whales. Kaikōura is a key location for fur seals, with elephant seals and leopard seals often sighted.
Supporting Information
Acevedo-Gutiérrez, A., Acevedo, L., Boren, L. 2011. ‘Effects of the presence of official-looking volunteers on harassment of New Zealand fur seals’. Conservation Biology 25: 623-627
Baker, C.S., Boren, L., Childerhouse, S., Constantine, R., van Helden, A., Lundquist, D., Rayment, W., Rolfe, J.R. 2019. Conservation status of New Zealand marine mammals, 2019. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 29. Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand, pp 18
Barlow, D.R., Torres, L.G., Hodge, K.B., Steel, D., Baker, C.S., Chandler, T.E., Bott, N., Constantine, R., Double, M.C., Gill, P., Glasgow, D., Hamner, R.M., Lilley, C., Ogle, M., Olson, P.A., Peters, C., Stockin, K.A., Tessaglia-Hymes,, T., Klinck, H. 2018. ‘Documentation of a New Zealand blue whale population based on multiple lines of evidence’. Endangered Species Research 36: 27-40
Boren, L.J., Gemmell, N.J., Barton, K.J. 2002. ‘Tourist disturbance on New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri’. Australian Mammalogy 24: 85-95
Boren, L.J., Muller, C.G., Gemmell, N.J. 2006. ‘Colony growth and pup condition of the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) on the Kaikoura coastline compared with other east coast colonies’. Wildlife Research 33: 497-505
Bradshaw, C.J.A., Davis, L.S., Purvis, M., Zhou, Q., Benwell, G.L. 2002. ‘Using artificial neural networks to model the suitability of coastline for breeding by New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri)’. Ecological Modelling 148: 111-131
Bräger, S., Bräger, Z. 2018. ‘Range utilization and movement patterns of coastal Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori)’. Aquatic Mammals 44: 633-642
Childerhouse, S.J., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. 1995. ‘Abundance and seasonal residence of sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand’. Canadian Journal of Zoology 73: 723-731
Constantine, R., Russell, K., Gibbs, N., Childerhouse, S., Baker, C.S. 2007. ‘Photo-identification of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in New Zealand waters and their migratory connections to breeding grounds of Oceania’. Marine Mammal Science 23: 715-720
Dahood, A.D., Benoit-Bird, K.J. 2010. Dusky Dolphins Foraging at Night. In: Würsig B & Würsig M. The Dusky Dolphin: Master Acrobat off Different Shores, Academic Press. pp 99-114
Giorli, G., Goetz, K.T. 2019. ‘Foraging activity of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) off the east coast of New Zealand’. Scientific Reports 9: 12182
Goetz, K.R., Childerhouse, S.J., Paton, D., Ogle, M., van der Linde, K., Constantine, R., Double, M.C., Andrews-Goff, V., Zerbini A.N., Olson, P.A. 2021. First satellite-tracked movements of pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) in New Zealand waters. Marine Mammal Science 38: 742-755
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12876
Guerra, M. 2019. ‘Foraging ecology of sperm whales at Kaikōura’. PhD Thesis. Dunedin: University of Otago.
Guerra, M., Hickmott, L., van der Hoop, J., Rayment, W., Leunissen, E., Slooten, E., Moore, M. 2017. ‘Diverse foraging strategies by a top marine predator: Sperm whales exploit pelagic and demersal habitats in the Kaikōura submarine canyon’. Deep Sea Research Part I 128: 98-108
Hamner, R.M., Steel, D., Constantine, R., Morrissey, M., Ogle, M., Weir, J., Olavarria, C., Baxter, A., Arlidge, W., Boren, L., Baker, C.S. 2016. Local population structure and abundance of Hector’s dolphins off Kaikoura – 2014 and 2015. Unpublished Report to the Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand, pp. 24
Hupman, K., Visser, I.N., Fyfe, J., Cawthorn, M., Forbes, G., Grabham, A.A., Bout, R., Mathias, B., Benninghaus, E., Matucci, K., Cooper, T., Fletcher, L., Godoy, D. 2020. ‘From Vagrant to Resident: occurrence, residency and births of leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) in New Zealand waters’. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 54: 1-23
Lundquist, D., Gemmell, N.J., Würsig, B. 2012. ‘Behavioral responses of dusky dolphins groups (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) to tour vessels off Kaikoura, New Zealand’. PLoS ONE 7: e41969
Markowitz, T. 2004. ‘Social organization of the New Zealand dusky dolphin’. PhD Thesis. College Station: Texas A&M University.
Meyer, C.E. 2020. ‘Population demographics, social structure and interspecific associations of free-ranging long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in New Zealand. MSc. Thesis. University of Auckland: Auckland.
Orbach, D.N., Pearson, H.C., Beier-Engelhaupt, A., Deutsch, S., Srinivasan, M., Weir, J.S., Yin, S., Würsig, B. 2018. ‘Long-term assessment of spatio-temporal association patterns of dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) off Kaikoura, New Zealand’. Aquatic Mammals 44: 608-619
Richter, C., Dawson, S., Slooten, E. 2006. ‘Impacts of commercial whale watching on male sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand’. Marine Mammal Science 22: 46-63.
Roberts, J.O., Webber, D.N., Roe, W.D., Edwards, C.T.T., Doonan, I.J. 2019. Spatial risk assessment of threats to Hector’s and Māui dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 214. Fisheries New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand, pp. 168
Stephenson, F., Goetz, K., Sharp, B.R., Mouton, T.L., Beets, F.L., Roberts, J., MacDiarmid, A.B., Constantine, R., Lundquist, C.J. 2020. Modelling the spatial distribution of cetaceans in New Zealand waters. Diversity and Distributions 26: 495-516
Warren VE, Constantine R, Noad M, Garrigue C, Garland EC. 2020 Migratory insights from singing humpback whales recorded around central New Zealand. R. Soc. Open Sci. 7:201084.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201084
Weir, J.S., Sagnol, O. 2015. ‘Distribution and abundance of Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) off Kaikoura, New Zealand’. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 49: 376-389
Würsig, B., Duprey, N., Weir, J. 2007. Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) in New Zealand waters. DOC Research & Development Series 270, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand, pp 28.
