ONLY FOUND IN NEW ZEALAND #60withsoolie #animals #dolphin #newzealand #marinebiology #endemic

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]I want you to think of a dolphin. Now, think of the word small. Combine those two together and that's the animal we're going to be talking about today. What's up everybody and welcome back to another episode of 60 Second Souly. Today, >> [music] >> we're going to be talking about the Hector's dolphin. The Hector's dolphin lives only around the coastal waters of New Zealand, making it one of the few dolphin species found [music] in just a single country. It's one of the smallest marine dolphins in the world, usually reaching only about [music] 4 to 5 ft long. But despite its size, it's built for agility. Hector's dolphins use quick [music] turns and bursts of speed to navigate shallow coastal waters, often surfing waves and weaving through rocky shorelines. [music] Their rounded dorsal fin is unique among dolphins and is often compared to a Mickey Mouse ear. And there's an even rarer subspecies, the Maui dolphin, which is critically endangered and considered one of the rarest dolphins alive. Unlike deep ocean dolphins, Hector's dolphins stay close to shore their entire lives, which unfortunately puts them directly in areas heavily affected by fishing nets and human activity. They also use echolocation [music] to navigate murky coastal water, essentially creating sound-based maps [music] of their environment. That's all I got for today. Thank you for watching and I'll see you on the next episode. If you want more insane animal facts like this, [music] follow me on YouTube for more. Link in bio.