|  Dolphins are commonly found along the East Coast of New Zealand. Kaikoura is blessed by having a variety of marine mammals and a large variety of seabirds (palegics) within close proximity of its shores. By far the most common marine mammals found in Kaikoura are the dusky dolphins and sperm whales. Kaikoura is the "Serengeti of the Ocean".
In the Kaikoura, the dusky dolphin appears year round with a variation between summer and winter movements and habits. In the summer months of October to April the dolphins will move in from offshore on a daily basis, to the inshore waters of the southern side of the Kaikoura Peninsula. During the winter months of May to September, the dolphins are located further offshore and do not come in as close to shore as they do in summer.  Social Behaviour
Dusky dolphins are very gregarious and highly social, living together in groups called pods, which in the Kaikoura region, can consist of individuals numbering anywhere from 100 to 800 dolphins in each pod. In autumn and winter, pod sizes can be even larger, sometimes numbering in the thousands. For this reason, Kaikoura is recognized as one of the best places in the world to regularly encounter wild dolphins in their natural environment. And what better way to do that, than to swim with them!
Life span
The life span of a dusky dolphin is thought to be anywhere between 20 to 25 years. Maximum size is between 165 cm and 195 cm in New Zealand and they weigh anywhere between 60 – 90 kg's. The same species in South America are known to grow larger, with records of dolphins just over 2 meters in length.
Breeding
Mating season for the dusky dolphins is usually during spring, summer and autumn, with not all mating being for reproductive purposes. A lot of mating is done purely as a means of socializing or maybe just for pure enjoyment. Dusky dolphins do not develop pair bonds and their mating habits could be viewed as promiscuous, with adult males competing for access to females. Males will pursue the female, each meal often mating several times with the same female in a matter of minutes. In Kaikoura, new calves are born in the spring, anywhere from September to December after a gestation period of about 11 months.
 Dolphins at Play
The dusky dolphins are reputed to be amongst the most acrobatic of the dolphin species, and their spectacular leaps, jumps, side slaps and back flips, bring shouts of jot to most who go out to witness their wild and free behaviour. One of the most spectacular leaps performed by the dolphins is its trademark somersault and the duskies will often repeat these acrobatic leaps time and again.
Swimming with the Dusky Dolphins
Dolphin Encounter is the leading company offering tours in Kaikoura and is the company we use for our tours. When taking a dolphin tour with Dolphin Encounter, you must remember that these dolphins are in their natural environment and are not enticed to the boats by any artificial means. All tours are on the dolphin’s terms. Although the dusky dolphins may swim very close to the swimmers in the water, this is not a “Flipper” type experience. The dolphins are completely wild and this is not the dolphin touching opportunity many hope for.
 Our Best of the South Island tours include swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura.
If you would like to see more of our friendly Dusky Dolphins, visit:
Information on Kaikoura - www.kaikoura.co.nz
Dolphin Tours - www.dolphin.co.nz
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