Kia Ora Whale Spotters!
Once again we’d like to thank you for all your hard work for the Great Kaikōura Whale Count 2024. We’re so grateful to you for helping us to conduct this vital research and we hope you had as much fun as we did. We’re thrilled that so many people got to see their first whale! 🎉
Dennie, Rikiya and Jody have analysed the data you collected and we thought you might like to know some of the findings!
📊 FINDINGS FROM THE GREAT KAIKŌURA WHALE COUNT 2024
👥The 2024 GKWC had the most volunteers we’ve ever had. 81% more people participated this year than previous Whale Counts!
⏰We had over 100 total more effort hours than any other year.
🌏Participants from over 15 countries were represented this year, from El Salvador to Japan.
🗓️ 30th of June was our busiest day. That day saw 22 total cetacean sightings, including 11 humpback sightings. On that day, from 10:16 am to 10:52 am, we had 9 sightings and saw over 66 individuals across 3 different species.
🛥️Fewer boats were spotted in 2024 compared to previous Whale Counts. The 2024 total (1126) represents 9.7% of the total number of boats seen across the past 4 counts. It is unclear why so few boats were seen this year.
GKWC 2024 total sightings
NB this refers to sightings, not the number of individuals seen as we have to account for spotters seeing the same cetacean on several occasions.
🐳Sperm whale sightings: 40
🐋Humpback whale sightings: 51
🐬Dusky dolphin pod sightings: 33
🎇WHAT’S NEXT?
The Great Kaikōura Whale Count 2025! So that KORI can get a better understanding of how many cetaceans can be found in the waters of Kaikōura, more whale counts need to be done. By following the same procedures, volunteers and lead spotters can continue to contribute to the data that has already been collected. With more data, we can determine how many Humpback whales are passing through.
💰DONATE
The Great Kaikōura Whale Count is organised by dedicated volunteers and is heavily reliant on donations. In previous years we have had to cancel the event due to lack of funding. If you enjoyed your time with us please consider donating to our GiveALittle page to ensure we can bring the Whale Count into 2025: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/thekaikourawhalecount
👕MERCH- GET IT BEFORE IT GOES!
Missed out on a souvenir? Snap up our last remaining t-shirts before they’re gone! We have the following stock, get in there quick!
Proceeds from our merch goes to KORI, helping to ensure we can run next year’s Whale Count
T- shirts $40: available in Grey or Teal (When considering sizing note that these run large)
Hoodies $80: available in Grey or Teal (When considering sizing note that these run small)
HOW TO ORDER:
To order email gkwc2024@gmail.com. Make sure to let us know the size, colour and postage address. Postage $10 flat fee
Payment should be sent to:
KAIKŌURA OCEAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE INCORPORATED
02-0856-0024827-000
Please put your name as reference.
FIND OUT MORE
For more information, check out the KORI website: https://kori.org.nz/
Thanks again, we look forward to seeing you next year! – The KORI Team 🐳
Kaikōura Ocean Research Institute Incorporated 