A dead Hector's dolphin calf has been found by a member of the public in the West Coast's Ōkārito Lagoon.
Maternal separation has been cited as a possible cause of death for some of the Hector's dolphin calves found dead around the South Island this summer. Photo: Supplied
It is the eleventh Hector's dolphin found dead around the South Island since last November, eight of which were calves.
Department of Conservation aquatic director Elizabeth Heeg said at this stage it was not known why so many Hector's dolphins had washed up dead over the past four months.
The calf found yesterday in the lagoon appeared to have died recently.
Its cause of death was not yet known, but foetal folds visible on its side showed it was still dependent upon its mother.
DOC staff collected the dolphin to send it to Massey University, where a necropsy will be performed to determine how it died.
Six of the other dead Hector's dolphins had also been sent to Massey University and were gradually being thawed and examined by a pathologist.
A definite cause of death wasn't able to be determined in three of the calves due to decomposition levels, but maternal separation has been cited as a possible cause.
An adult female found near Hokitika on 28 November was thought to have died from age related disease.
Information gleaned through the necropsy will be added to DOC's Hector's and Māui dolphin incident database, which includes information on live stranded animals as well as dolphins found dead on beaches, injured at sea, found floating dead in the ocean, or caught as part of recreational or commercial fishing.
This data is shared online, along with any necropsy reports, on a quarterly basis.
Anyone who sees Hector's or Māui dolphins or finds them dead is encouraged to report it to DOC by calling 0800 DOC HOT.
