Dear friends across Australia,

A dolphin found only in New Zealand waters is on the brink of extinction. But if we tell PM John Key that his country will lose the clean, green image which brings many of us as tourists to his country, we can persuade him to ban the lethal net fishing that’s killing the dolphins. Sign the petition to save the world’s smallest dolphin.

Only 55 Maui’s dolphins remain, and New Zealand will sign their death sentence unless it stops netting in its habitat. Together, we can persuade the Prime Minister to save the dolphins.

A new report shows that dolphin numbers have halved in six years. Thousands of Kiwis are calling for a ban on the deadly set nets which are responsible for many dolphin deaths, but the fishing industry is busting a gut to stop this. Half of the tourists that go to New Zealand every year are Australian, so if we now tell Prime Minister John Key that his country’s green image hangs on this decision, we can get him to act.

If any more of these unique dolphins die it will be too late to save them. So let’s join our voices across the trench and drown out the powerful fishing lobby with our call to save the Maui’s dolphins. Avaaz will deliver with dolphin costumes to Key next week before he instructs his Primary Industries Minister. We don’t have much time left! Sign the petition and share widely:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/days_to_save_the_worlds_smallest_dolphin/?vl

Maui’s dolphins are only found off the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, where visitors sometimes see the playful creature feeding in shallow waters. Now these dolphins are the world’s most endangered marine mammal and, if five more adults die, this slow-breeding creature will follow the dodo to extinction.

The New Zealand government has a choice: act now or be responsible for the end of a precious mammal species and for trashing New Zealand’s “100% Pure” tourism branding. Prime Minister John Key is likely to cave in to the powerful fishing industry, which is stepping up its efforts to continue with its lethal netting techniques. But half the tourists who travel to New Zealand are from Australia, giving us a chance to counter the fishing lobby with our voices.

We have just days to get the Prime Minister to take a stand. Sign the petition to ensure that New Zealand institutes an immediate ban on set net fishing in the dolphins’ habitat:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/days_to_save_the_worlds_smallest_dolphin/?vl

Together, our community is winning the struggle to protect our oceans, countering Japan’s push to legalise commercial whaling, and supporting the Australian government to establish the world’s largest marine reserve. Saving this dolphin will show our power to protect our planet.

With hope,

Alex, Luis, David, Emma, Ricken, Paul, Emily, Michelle, Diego and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION

New Research shows way to saving Hector’s & Maui’s dolphins (Scoop):
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1203/S00069/new-research-shows-way-to-saving-hectors-mauis-dolphins.htm

NZ’s rarest dolphin nearing extinction (New Zealand Herald):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10793020

Govt criticised over Maui dolphin response (TVNZ):
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/govt-criticised-over-maui-dolphin-response-4776719

Dolphin’s extinction could cause ripple effect (Independent Online):
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/dolphin-s-extinction-could-cause-ripple-effect-1.1256412

Protect Last 55 Adult Maui’s Dolphins Now (Scoop):
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1203/S00155/protect-last-55-adult-mauis-dolphins-now.htm

Dolphin’s death reignites calls for set net ban (New Zealand Herald):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10782725

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