01:20

As the dust begins to settle three days after New Zealand’s devastating earthquake, there are growing concerns for the fate of endangered marine wildlife off the coast of Kaikoura, with experts unable to get out to sea to assess their condition.

A submarine canyon 800m off the Kaikoura shore is responsible for the rich array of marine animals attracted to the area, including half a dozen species of whale, rare and endangered dolphins, blue penguins, New Zealand fur seals and protected native bird life.

But with aftershocks continuing to roll and the threat of tsunamis still possible, the only marine vessels able to get anywhere near the coast of Kaikoura are navy ships on rescue missions.

Two Otago University whale researchers are currently holed up in a rental house north of Kaikoura. According to their supervisor Liz Slooton, the pair are desperate to get on the water to assess the quake’s effect on Kaikoura’s population of whales, which have always been a major drawcard for tourists.

But with dwindling fuel supplies and no reserves coming any time soon, marine wildlife surveys are out of the question.

“Nobody is going on the water, not the local fisherman or tour operators – nobody,” said Professor Steve Dawson from Otago University. “It is too unsafe and may remain so for some time. At the moment we are forced to do nothing.”

The department of conservation (DOC) said it may be some weeks before its rangers will be able to take full stock of the quake’s effect on vulnerable wildlife.

“It is clear from reports that the recent earthquakes have impacted upon wildlife, including seals, penguins and seabirds,” said Ian Angus, DOC’s manager of marine species and threats.

A New Zealand fur seal at the colony near Kaikoura, before the quake destroyed breeding grounds. Photograph: Lyndall Hawke/AAP

The DOC said that it was likely some New Zealand fur seals may have been killed when a landslide squashed their protected breeding grounds at Ohau Point.



Otago University Associate Professor of Marine Science Bruce Robertson said although the loss of breeding grounds would be a cause for a localised drop in seal numbers, nation-wide the New Zealand fur seal population was steadily increasing, and he expected the Ohau Point population would soon establish new breeding grounds nearby, as female seals would need to beach to give birth in the coming weeks.

“There is some evidence that seals could have felt the tremors before humans did and fled to the water before the landslide, so possibly quite a few escaped” said Robertson.