
Hector’s (and Māui) dolphins
The world’s tiniest marine dolphin lives here in Aotearoa NZ.
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Bottlenose dolphin skull. Te Papa (MM002986)
In 1955, a female bottlenose made Opononi Beach in Hokianga her summer home. ‘Opo’ frolicked with locals and juggled balls on her ihu. She quickly became a national celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors.
Opo the dolphin, Opononi, 1956, by Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Te Papa (F.005006/02)
Range of bottlenose dolphin, in blue. Illustration by Te Papa
The world’s tiniest marine dolphin lives here in Aotearoa NZ.
Navigating brittle bones and teeth the size of rice, Thomas Schultz, Collection Manager Science, reflects on putting a Hector’s dolphin back together for an exhibition that would tour North America for ten years.
For centuries whales and dolphins have captured our imaginations. We have revered and mythologised them, hunted them to the brink of extinction and passionately protected them. But how much do we really know?