Maui's dolphin

"The west coast of the North Island is home to one of our rarest endemic animals, Maui’s dolphin. This tiny marine mammal, a subspecies of Hector’s dolphin, is the smallest in the world—adults are the length of an average-sized 10-year-old child and babies are the size of a large cat. They are distinguishable by their small size, rounded dorsal fin . . . and distinctive black, white and grey markings . . . Sadly, Maui’s dolphins are also distinguishable by their small number, qualifying them for the title of the world’s rarest dolphin. Prior to the 1970s, the population was believed to have been a healthy 1,000 or so animals. Over the last 40 years, the population has significantly declined; it was most recently estimated at just over 100 animals . . . The primary causes of their population decline are human-related threats, in particular those from two of the methods used to catch fish: set netting (which uses monofilament gill nets), and trawling. If urgent action is not taken, this species will become extinct within 20 to 30 years."