New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere and is the southern most country before you reach Antarctica.
Despite it's relatively small size, a mere 268,000 square metres, placing it 75th on the list of country by geographical size, it does in fact control of the fourth largest marine territory in the world.
There are approximately 80 species of cetaceans - marine mammals that include dolphins, porpoises, and whales - in the world with almost half known to inhabit New Zealand waters, with 22 of them being whales.
Below are some of types of whales you can find: Humpback A species of the baleen whale, the adults can reach 12 - 16 metres in length.
These whales feed in summer in polar waters and migrate up to 25,000 kilometres to tropical and sub-tropical waters in the winter.
Black with white markings on their tail they are often distinguishable by the barnacles encrusted on the their jaw and throat.
Their migration path means they are easily seen from much of the coastline of New Zealand.
Sperm Due to the nature of the continental shelf off the coast of Kaikoura, Sperm Whale can get very close to the coast offering visitors a very up close and personal interaction with these majestic animals.
Identified by their dark grey - brownish skin and square head their most unique attribute is their blowhole which is off to the left and shoots the water forward instead of directly upward.
Bryde's The Bryde's whale is the most common of the baleen whales found around New Zealand's coast and due to their preference to warmer waters are generally only found around Northland where the water temperature is more tropical to the whales liking.
Only the Minke is the smaller of the baleen whales and the Bryde's is similar to the Sei in it's colouring and fin shape.
Adults grow to about 12 - 15 metres in length.
Southern Right The Southern Right whales are often seen in bays around parts of New Zealand, particularly the east coast of Northland, and Gisborne, and on the west coast some have been seen off the Taranaki coast but usually off the coast of the South Island when they head into bays to mate and give birth.
Described as stocky, they are black in colour and do not have a dorsal fin.
Their unique blowhole creates a v shaped spray.
These are just some of the beautiful cetaceans you will find in New Zealand waters - you can also find Beaked, Sei, Minke, and Blue Whales.
Despite it's relatively small size, a mere 268,000 square metres, placing it 75th on the list of country by geographical size, it does in fact control of the fourth largest marine territory in the world.
There are approximately 80 species of cetaceans - marine mammals that include dolphins, porpoises, and whales - in the world with almost half known to inhabit New Zealand waters, with 22 of them being whales.
Below are some of types of whales you can find: Humpback A species of the baleen whale, the adults can reach 12 - 16 metres in length.
These whales feed in summer in polar waters and migrate up to 25,000 kilometres to tropical and sub-tropical waters in the winter.
Black with white markings on their tail they are often distinguishable by the barnacles encrusted on the their jaw and throat.
Their migration path means they are easily seen from much of the coastline of New Zealand.
Sperm Due to the nature of the continental shelf off the coast of Kaikoura, Sperm Whale can get very close to the coast offering visitors a very up close and personal interaction with these majestic animals.
Identified by their dark grey - brownish skin and square head their most unique attribute is their blowhole which is off to the left and shoots the water forward instead of directly upward.
Bryde's The Bryde's whale is the most common of the baleen whales found around New Zealand's coast and due to their preference to warmer waters are generally only found around Northland where the water temperature is more tropical to the whales liking.
Only the Minke is the smaller of the baleen whales and the Bryde's is similar to the Sei in it's colouring and fin shape.
Adults grow to about 12 - 15 metres in length.
Southern Right The Southern Right whales are often seen in bays around parts of New Zealand, particularly the east coast of Northland, and Gisborne, and on the west coast some have been seen off the Taranaki coast but usually off the coast of the South Island when they head into bays to mate and give birth.
Described as stocky, they are black in colour and do not have a dorsal fin.
Their unique blowhole creates a v shaped spray.
These are just some of the beautiful cetaceans you will find in New Zealand waters - you can also find Beaked, Sei, Minke, and Blue Whales.
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