Marine Life
Cook Strait is an important habitat for many cetacean species. Several dolphins (Bottlenose, Common, Dusky) frequent the area along with killer whales and the endemic Hector's Dolphins. Long-Finned Pilot Whales often strand en masse at Golden Bay. The famous Pelorus Jack was a Risso's Dolphin being observed escorting the ships between 1888 and 1912, though this species is not a common visitor to the New Zealand's waters. Large migratory whales attracted many whalers to the area in the winter. Currently, an annual survey of counting Humpback Whales is taken by Department of Conservation and former whalers help DOC to spot animals. Other occasional visitors include Southern Right Whales, Blue Whales, Sei Whales and Sperm Whales. Giant squid specimens have been washed ashore around Cook Strait or found in the stomachs of sperm whales off Kaikoura.
A colony of male fur seals has long been established near Red Rocks on the south Wellington coast. Cook Strait offers good game fishing. Albacore tuna can be caught from January to May. Broadbill swordfish, bluenose, mako sharks and the occasional marlin and white shark can also be caught.
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