You wouldn't ride dirt bikes through a kiwi sanctuary, so why is it okay to race boats in Hector's dolphin habitat?
Next month, the SailGP competition will be taking place in Lyttelton Harbour, near Christchurch in New Zealand. This competition will involve boats racing at speeds of 100 km/h or faster, through areas where endangered Hector's dolphins are known to inhabit. At these speeds, if a dolphin is spotted ahead of the boat, it will be too late to change their course, and it's almost certain that a strike from one of these boats would kill a dolphin. What makes this even worse is that the race will be happening during the breeding season, when Hector's dolphins move closer to the coastline to birth and nurse their calves, making them even more vulnerable.
These tiny dolphins need our protection now more than ever - they already face threats from fisheries bycatch and toxoplasmosis. I am ashamed of the lack of responsibility my country has taken to ensure the continued survival of the Hector's and Maui's dolphins. This fiasco is just the latest in a series of failures to prioritize the welfare and safety of endangered marine life in New Zealand.
We wouldn't let people ride dirt bikes through a kiwi sanctuary. There would be public outcry if people were driving through penguin colonies. We should show that same level of care and concern for our endangered marine mammals. The wealth and influence of New Zealand's sailing community should not make them immune to these standards.
Image credit: Ocean Treasures Memorial Library
