Kaikoura whale watching species, from sperm whales to albatross

Any list of Kaikoura whale watching species starts with the sperm whale, the one animal the boats can count on. DOC says the species is found off Kaikoura in every season, drawn by the deep submarine canyon close to shore.¹ The local whales are mostly males, a mix of residents and passers-by.⁶ Expect 1-2 of them on a typical trip, the operator says; they spread out over a wide area and spend long spells deep under water.⁷

You will know one when you see it. DOC describes a large, square head making up around one third of the body, wrinkly skin and a low hump instead of a tall dorsal fin.^8,9 Its single blowhole sits on the top left of the snout, and the angled, bushy blow makes the whale easy to spot even when little else shows.^9,10 When it dives, the broad flukes lift clear of the water. Our page on sperm whales and the canyon covers the dive cycle and the hydrophones in depth.

Every other species below depends on season and luck. Destination Kaikoura says up to 14 other species of whales and dolphins share these waters with the sperm whales at different times of the year.¹¹ The operator goes further, claiming that around 80% of all whale and dolphin species on Earth travel past this coast.¹² Read both figures as a measure of possibility, not a promise: on most trips you will meet a handful of species, not a parade.

Orca watching in Kaikoura is a summer game. The operator says killer whales often visit, especially during the summer months.³ DOC points out that, whatever its name suggests, the killer whale is in fact the biggest dolphin of all.³⁶ Orca can grow up to 9 m long, and an adult male's dorsal fin can stand higher than a metre, which makes a group of them unmistakable even far off.²⁴ Females have smaller, more curved fins.

New Zealand has only a small population. DOC estimates 150-200 orca in the country's waters, travelling long distances along the coast.³⁷ They are the only known cetaceans that regularly hunt other marine mammals, and their diet runs from fish and rays to seals.³⁸ Sightings never follow a timetable. A summer trip raises your chances, but nobody can promise an encounter, and the crew will only tell you on the day whether orca have been seen along the coast. Keep watching for that tall black fin.

Strict rules apply when orca are near. The Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992 make swimming within 100 m of a whale an offence, and orca count as whales under those rules.^39,40 Aircraft should keep at least 150 m from orca and avoid flying directly overhead.⁴¹ From the shore, watch quietly and report sightings to DOC: they feed the national sightings database that helps scientists follow these animals.

Kaikoura is as good for seabirds as for whales. The operator counts 13 species of albatross and 14 varieties of petrels in these waters.⁵ It also says the area is home to around 75% of the world's pelagic seabird species.⁶¹ The wandering albatross is the one to look for: at almost 4 metres, its wingspan is the greatest of any living bird.⁴⁴ Gibson's albatross, which breeds in the Auckland Islands, is the main species seen here.⁶²

Hutton's shearwater is Kaikoura's own seabird. DOC says it is the only seabird in the world to breed in sub-alpine country, nesting high in the Seaward Kaikoura Range.⁶³ On their downhill flight to the sea they reach up to 154 km/h and can reach the ocean in as little as seven minutes.⁶⁴ In summer, DOC notes, large rafts of them sit on the water off the peninsula.⁴⁵ Their breeding season runs from August to March.⁶⁵

Penguins are small and easy to miss. The little blue penguin, about 25cm tall, is the world's smallest, and a small colony lives near the Coastguard building at South Bay.⁶⁶ DOC adds that blue penguins may be seen bobbing just offshore from the Point Kean tidal platforms.⁴⁶ Bring binoculars on the boat and on the walkway: many of the birds that follow whale boats, such as petrels, hang around feeding animals for scraps.