I had a whale of a time!!! I haven’t been as happy and fulfilled for ages as during the last 10 days! It was great!! Yvonne, Switzerland

… and the worst part of your trip? Sharing a toilet with a cross possum. Elly, UK

New Zealand Wildlife Research Fund

At Active Earth, we are committed to looking after the environment and have put our money where our mouth is. For four years we put NZ$10 per ticket into a wildlife research fund. That money amounted to nearly $7000 and was used by the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust (see below). We are currently looking for a new project to contribute to; it will probably be one of the community-run kiwi projects in Northland.

New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust

New Zealand is one of the world’s hotspots for marine mammals. Of 77 known species of dolphins and whales, 35 frequent our shores, where they are remarkably accessible to tourists and researchers. Research supported by the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust, and conducted by its trustees, has provided a wealth of new knowledge about these animals, and uncovered significant conservation problems, for which it continues to seek solutions.

The Trust’s research is directed by Dr Stephen Dawson and Dr Elisabeth Slooten, internationally recognised scientists who are committed to the conservation biology and ecology of whales and dolphins. Their direction of Trust projects ensures it focuses on questions of conservation significance and not just on gathering knowledge but also on identifying solutions to problems.

Currently the Trust is actively involved in five projects:

1. Developing low-cost survey methods for threatened dolphins and porpoises.
2. Conservation biology of Hector’s dolphin.
3. Ecology and behaviour of Bottlenose dolphins in one of the world’s last pristine habitats, Fiordland, New Zealand.
4. The impacts of nature tourism and how we can ensure benefits for marine mammals and tourists.
5. Understanding the most extraordinary whale, the Sperm whale.

If you want to know more about current research visit the Otago University marine mammal research web site. http://www.otago.ac.nz/MarineScience/mammals/home.htm

“We welcome support from innovative and environmentally aware companies.”
Dr Liz Slooten

New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust

Fostering research and effective conservation of whales and dolphins in New Zealand.
http://www.whaledolphintrust.org.nz