![\"hectors-dolphin-3\"](\"https:\/\/animalcorner.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Hectors-Dolphin-2106424-724x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Hector\u2019s dolphin was named after Sir James Hector. Sir James was the curator of the Colonial Museum in Wellington (now the museum of New Zealand – Te Papa). He examined the first specimen found of the dolphin. Sir James lived from 1834 to 1907. He was the most influential New Zealand scientist of his time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hector’s Dolphin Characteristics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/animalcorner.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/hectors-dolphin-1-1024x600.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Hector\u2019s dolphin does not have a bottle-shaped snout. The forehead of the Hector\u2019s dolphin slopes down to the tip, so it does not create a protruding beak like the bottlenose dolphin<\/a>. It has a small, rounded dorsal fin, all other New Zealand dolphins have crescent shaped fins.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTheir fluke has pointed tips and concave trailing edges. The overall color of this dolphin is a pale grey. Their forehead is grey with streaks of black. The tip of the beak is black. The throat and chest are white. There are dark grey patches running from the flippers to the eyes. The belly is also white with a stripe running up the sides from under the dorsal fin. The bulk of the back and sides is the same lighter grey of the beak. The tail stock is narrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At birth, the Hector\u2019s dolphin weighs about 9 kilograms and grows to about 40 to 60 kilograms at adulthood. At about 1.4 metres in length, it is one of the smallest cetaceans. The Hector\u2019s dolphins have a life span of about 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHector’s Dolphin Behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector\u2019s dolphins like to have company. They usually swim in groups of between 2 and 12 dolphins. Hector\u2019s dolphins are active animals, readily bow-riding and playing with seaweed. When leaping from the sea, individuals will often land on their side, creating a loud splash (their vertical and horizontal dives are much less noisy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hector\u2019s dolphins tend to stay in the same area – sometimes for life. Here, they spend their days swimming along the coastline, surfacing to breathe, diving to find food and playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHector’s Dolphin Diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector\u2019s dolphins feed on fish and other sea creatures found in shallow water with a sandy bottom, such as flounder, red cod, mackerel, crabs<\/a> and squid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nHector’s Dolphin Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector’s dolphins use echo-location to locate their prey. Dolphins send out a stream of high frequency clicking noises and when the sound strikes an object it bounces back and the dolphin can tell by listening what the object is – what kind of fish it is, how far away it is and how fast it is moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHector’s Dolphin Reproduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector\u2019s dolphins mature at about 8 years old and they and they have a life span of around 15 to 18 years old. Females usually have one calf every 1 to 3 years. Hector\u2019s dolphins mate in late spring and calves are born about a year later. The calves are 50 – 60 centimetres at birth and stay close to their mothers who provide them with milk and protection until they are old enough to fend for themselves, usually at about 1 year old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Hector\u2019s dolphin does not have a bottle-shaped snout. The forehead of the Hector\u2019s dolphin slopes down to the tip, so it does not create a protruding beak like the bottlenose dolphin<\/a>. It has a small, rounded dorsal fin, all other New Zealand dolphins have crescent shaped fins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their fluke has pointed tips and concave trailing edges. The overall color of this dolphin is a pale grey. Their forehead is grey with streaks of black. The tip of the beak is black. The throat and chest are white. There are dark grey patches running from the flippers to the eyes. The belly is also white with a stripe running up the sides from under the dorsal fin. The bulk of the back and sides is the same lighter grey of the beak. The tail stock is narrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At birth, the Hector\u2019s dolphin weighs about 9 kilograms and grows to about 40 to 60 kilograms at adulthood. At about 1.4 metres in length, it is one of the smallest cetaceans. The Hector\u2019s dolphins have a life span of about 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hector\u2019s dolphins like to have company. They usually swim in groups of between 2 and 12 dolphins. Hector\u2019s dolphins are active animals, readily bow-riding and playing with seaweed. When leaping from the sea, individuals will often land on their side, creating a loud splash (their vertical and horizontal dives are much less noisy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hector\u2019s dolphins tend to stay in the same area – sometimes for life. Here, they spend their days swimming along the coastline, surfacing to breathe, diving to find food and playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hector\u2019s dolphins feed on fish and other sea creatures found in shallow water with a sandy bottom, such as flounder, red cod, mackerel, crabs<\/a> and squid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hector’s dolphins use echo-location to locate their prey. Dolphins send out a stream of high frequency clicking noises and when the sound strikes an object it bounces back and the dolphin can tell by listening what the object is – what kind of fish it is, how far away it is and how fast it is moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hector\u2019s dolphins mature at about 8 years old and they and they have a life span of around 15 to 18 years old. Females usually have one calf every 1 to 3 years. Hector\u2019s dolphins mate in late spring and calves are born about a year later. The calves are 50 – 60 centimetres at birth and stay close to their mothers who provide them with milk and protection until they are old enough to fend for themselves, usually at about 1 year old.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHector’s Dolphin Behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector’s Dolphin Diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector’s Dolphin Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hector’s Dolphin Reproduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n