Smallest dolphin species

- Who
- Hector's dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori
- Where
- New Zealand
- When
- 25 November 2014
The smallest species of dolphin is Hector's dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori, which is entirely confined to the coastal regions of New Zealand and is extremely rare. Mature adult specimens have a total length of 1.2-1.6 m, and weigh 40-60 kg.
It is split into two subspecies. The commoner, nominate subspecies, C. h. hectori, occurs around New Zealand's South Island. The much rarer, second subspecies, Maui's dolphin C. h. maui, is found only off the northwest coast of New Zealand's North Island, and according to a 2010/11 abundance estimate conducted by the New Zeasland government and using DNA profiles to identify individual animals, only about 55 individuals survive.