Discovering Hidden Patterns: Otago's Acoustic Dive into Hector's Dolphin Habits

Researchers at the University of Otago have shed fresh light on the elusive behaviors of Hector's dolphins in Porpoise Bay, a serene inlet on New Zealand's Catlins Coast. Through innovative passive acoustic monitoring, the team captured the subtle clicks and buzzes of these endangered marine mammals, revealing how they navigate and feed in this vital habitat. This study not only updates our understanding of their daily rhythms but also underscores the bay's role as a year-round refuge, challenging previous assumptions centered on summer activity.

The Plight of Hector's Dolphins: New Zealand's Endemic Treasure

Hector's dolphins, scientifically known as Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori for the South Island subspecies, are among the world's smallest and rarest dolphins. Endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand's coastal waters, their total population hovers around 15,700 individuals, fragmented into isolated subpopulations with limited genetic exchange. This isolation heightens their vulnerability to local threats like bycatch in gillnets—the primary killer—and boat disturbances. Porpoise Bay, nestled in Southland, serves as a key hotspot for the Catlins Coast group, linking genetically with nearby Otago and Southland populations. Conservation efforts, guided by the Hector's and Māui Dolphin Threat Management Plan, emphasize protected zones and regulated fishing to bolster recovery.

Porpoise Bay: A Dolphin Haven Under Scrutiny

This picturesque bay, with its sheltered southwestern inner waters and deeper middle zones, draws Hector's dolphins particularly during the austral summer for foraging and calving. Mothers nurse large calves—up to 10kg at birth—in these cool waters, demanding constant energy intake due to the species' high metabolism. Summer swells with eco-tourism, including swimmers drawn to playful pods near shore. Yet, long-term studies highlight the bay's broader significance, now confirmed as winter habitat too, ensuring dolphins access prey year-round amid shifting ocean conditions.

Innovative Methods: Listening to the Ocean's Secrets

The breakthrough came from passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), a non-invasive technique deploying stationary hydrophones to record echolocation clicks. Otago scientists placed two detectors—one in the inner bay, another mid-bay—from January to August 2020, capturing data around the clock. Dolphin clicks, high-frequency pulses for navigation and hunting, were analyzed for presence (click trains) and foraging intent (buzzes: rapid click trains signaling prey capture attempts). This first PAM application here provided unprecedented detail on spatiotemporal patterns, surpassing visual surveys limited by weather and daylight.

Daily Rhythms: Where and When Dolphins Appear

Acoustic detections peaked in summer's inner bay, aligning with sheltered foraging preferences. Activity surged daytime, cresting afternoons as dolphins shifted from inner to middle bay. High tides amplified presence, likely boosting prey like fish and squid into accessible shallows. Surprisingly, winter recordings revealed persistent, albeit lower, activity—indicating the bay shelters a subset of the Catlins subpopulation through colder months, vital for energy conservation.

Foraging Revealed: Buzzes Tell the Feeding Story

Foraging buzz rates mirrored occurrence: low mornings, climbing to afternoon peaks inner bay before dispersing outward. Daylight and high tides doubled buzz intensity, reflecting optimal hunting windows when prey schools concentrate. Hector's dolphins, weighing just 45kg, must hunt relentlessly; disruptions here could starve nursing mothers.

Bridging Past and Present: Updating Population Insights

Complementing the acoustics, a concurrent photo-identification study estimated 63 dolphins (95% CI 46-79) using the bay summers, including three calves—stable from 74 in 2000. Mark-recapture models confirmed residency, with individuals returning seasonally. These baselines frame PAM data, painting a fuller picture of ~60 dolphins relying on the bay, genetically bridging wider coasts.

Historical Otago theses, like Bejder's 1997 work on tourism, noted swimmers occupying 11% observation time, prompting guidelines now reinforced by new foraging data.

Tourism's Double Edge: Swimmers and Dolphin Stress

Porpoise Bay's allure fuels swimmer tourism, yet close approaches—within 50m—disrupt inner-bay foraging. Mother-calf pairs, energetically strained, suffer most from shore-launched pursuits. Lead researcher Max Harvey warns: "Recreational swimmers actively seeking groups close to shore may disrupt nursing or foraging, reducing intake for vulnerable pairs." Guidelines urge 50m distance and avoiding calves; monitoring interactions is next for Otago.

Conservation Roadmap: From Data to Dolphin-Safe Bays

Findings bolster New Zealand's Threat Management Plan, advocating expanded protections beyond summer. Year-round PAM could track trends, informing gillnet bans and toxoplasmosis mitigation (cat feces runoff). Otago urges visitors as "custodians," promoting self-regulated access. Broader implications: fragmented pops demand subpopulation focus, with Porpoise Bay's genetic role pivotal.

Otago's Marine Science Legacy: Pioneering Dolphin Research

University of Otago's Department of Marine Science leads NZ cetacean studies, from Dawson and Slooten's long-term monitoring to eDNA genetics linking pops. MSc projects like Harvey's exemplify hands-on training, yielding peer-reviewed impacts in journals like New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. Collaborations with DOC yield actionable policy, positioning Otago as NZ's marine guardian.

Future Horizons: Genetics and Ongoing Monitoring

Ongoing DOC-Otago genetics surveys (March 2026) biopsy for connectivity, diet, reproduction—building on eDNA. Long-term PAM promises baselines amid climate shifts altering prey. Emerging threats like warming waters demand adaptive strategies, with Otago poised to lead.

Photo by Duskfall Crew on Unsplash

NZ Universities Championing Ocean Conservation

Otago joins Auckland, Victoria in NZ's marine vanguard, training researchers for global challenges. Careers in marine science thrive, blending fieldwork, tech, policy—vital for species like Hector's facing compounded threats.