The Creature Awaits #66:
Each week I plan to feature an amazing creature, admiring God's fantastic artistry. Hopefully it’ll brighten someone’s day to see something new and interesting if they haven’t seen it before. : )
(Photograph by fabulous photographer, Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith. You can view more of his amazing work here. (CC BY-SA 2.0))
Hector's Dolphin
Māori Names (for both Hector's and Māui dolphins): Tutumairekurai, Tupoupou and Popoto
Scientific Name: Cephalorhynchus hectori
Region: New Zealand
Size: About 3'11"-5'3" (1.2–1.6 m) long
Interesting Note: Just when I thought there weren't any dolphins more charming and beautiful than our local Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, I find out about this adorable tiny orca-like dolphin from New Zealand. They are the smallest known species of dolphin and have a uniquely rounded dorsal fin. Sadly though, they are yet another species with a declining population - this time primarily due to net-fishing (those "dolphin-safe tuna" labels are on those cans for a reason!) and inbreeding and subsequent disease caused by the remaining dolphins having a reduced pool of potential mates.
