Dolphin Defenders Making A Song And Dance For Dolphins This Weekend

Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders is New Zealand’s only charity dedicated to conservation and recovery of the world’s smallest dolphins, only found here.

Following the group’s successful summer advocacy tour of the South Island, this weekend, Dolphin Defenders will be at Auckland’s west coast beaches -Muriwai at 1.30 on Saturday 29 March, and then Piha at 1.30 on Sunday 30 March, celebrating the joy of new life, as Māui and Hector’s swim close to shore with this year’s calves.

Māui and Hector’s dolphins sometimes engage with swimmers and surfers off Muriwai and Piha beaches, so this weekend, Dolphin Defenders are calling on locals to help ‘Save the joy’, making a stand (or actually a dance) for Māui and Hector’s, for their continued presence, survival, and increased protection and abundance.

The group will take their dramatic, life-sized dolphins with flags and signs to the beaches to help raise awareness and build public interest and engagement, in their work to create a nation of Dolphin Defenders and to protect the species throughout their range.

What: A colourful, vibrant celebration of Māui and Hector’s dolphins, with music provided by bands Unidos de Aotearoa at Muriwai and Ak Samba at Piha in a public, interactive procession along the beach in each location

When: 1.30pm Saturday 29 March, 2025 at South Muriwai, access from Motutara Rd

1.30pm Sunday 30 March, 2025 at South Piha, access from Marine Parade

Who: Locals, beach goers and members of the public with the bands Unidos de Aotearoa and AK Samba

Why: To celebrate local dolphins, the smallest in the world, and among the rarest, with local community members and other beach goers

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