Marine mammals

Seals, whales, and dolphins all call the coasts and waters of the Chatham Islands home.

Five species of seal have been recorded here. The most common is the fur seal, which can be found across Aotearoa. As a species, fur seals/kekeno were hunted to the brink of extinction but are now making a comeback. In the Chathams, there are nine rookeries across the archipelago.

The other four seal species are only occasional visitors, and include subantartic fur seals, leopard seals, Southern elephant seals, and, on the rare occasion, sea lions.

Around 25 species of whale and dolphin have been sighted in Chatham waters. The most common are pilot whales, sperm whales and Gray's beaked whales, usually seen around the Chatham Rise. Very few sighting have been reported, although strandings are not uncommon.