Whales & Wildlife by Season
Month-by-month: which whales, dolphins and seals you're likely to see, and where.
Kaikōura's deep undersea canyon brings whales and dolphins close to shore all year. Here's what you're likely to see, month by month — patterns from past years, not a promise for any one day.
Give seals room
DOC asks everyone to stay at least 20 metres from fur seals and never get between a seal and the sea. They can move fast and bite, and a seal bite easily turns septic. Keep dogs away.
What you’re likely to see in June
- Peak
Humpback whale — Migratory — the winter visitor
- Good
Sperm whale — The headline act — resident, seen here all year
- Good
Dusky dolphin — Big, acrobatic pods, year-round