Fun in Kaikoura

Upon saying farewell to the Marae, we dropped off seven of our most avid wildlife observers for their anticipated whale-watching experience. Three miles off-shore, they were greeted by dozens of cheeky Dusky Dolphins and four Sperm Whales.

Sperm Whale saying hello!

Dusky Dolphins 

So cheeky

"Wow!" - Eliza

The group also saw a variety of marine birds on the water, including different petrels, mollyhawks, and albatrosses.

Giant Petrel snapped in-flight by Devin

Meanwhile, the remaining half of our group visited nearby tide pools, a new addition to the city, on our way to a protected Hutton’s Shearwater nesting site to learn about their conservation. New Zealand endured a devastating 7.8 earthquake in 2016 that left behind an elevated seafloor that is now home to a diverse community of sea stars, anemones, and shelled creatures and visible at low tide.

New Zealand Fur Seal enjoying the view

Mottled Brittle Star doing what Mottled Brittle Stars do

After many slips, photo ops, and close-up seal encounters, we made our way up the hill towards the Shearwater reserve and learned about the project along the way. The seafaring birds are native to New Zealand and nest in only two colonies in the mountains near Kaikoura. In 2005, the Department of Conservation established a third site on the Kaikoura Peninsula where their nesting burrows wouldn’t be trampled by deer or their young eaten by stoats and rats. The new site of artificial burrows is surrounded by a predator-proof fence and the birds raised in the colony are already returning and having chicks of their own.

Learn more about Shearwater Conservation

From the hilltop, we saw our own share of Dusky Dolphins playing in the water and hundreds of New Zealand Fur Seals lining the coast.

After our two groups reconvened, Dr. Hostetler treated us to a tasty whitebait fritter – a local delicacy of small fish fried in egg batter – before hitting the road back to Lincoln.

It's almost as tasty as it looks

g2g

Cole