Wildlife of the Bay of Islands
Every day on the Bay is different.
We never know exactly what wildlife we may encounter as we sail through Te Pēwhairangi / Bay of Islands. Some days we may see dolphins. Some days little blue penguins pop up between the waves. Gannets, shearwaters and other seabirds may be working the water. In winter and spring, we sometimes spot New Zealand fur seals resting on the rocks. At anchor, guests may notice reef fish, eagle rays or other marine life below the surface.
That is the nature of real wildlife watching. The animals are wild, and their movements change with the seasons, the weather, the sea conditions and the food around them.
Our Wildlife Guide is here to help you recognise some of the species we may see, understand more about their behaviour, and discover what our crew have learned from watching wildlife on the water over many years.
Wildlife, the Carino Way
For us, the best wildlife encounters happen naturally.
Our crew keep watch across the water, sky, islands and shoreline as we sail. If we see wildlife, we slow down, watch carefully and give animals the space they need to carry on with their natural behaviour.
Carino Wildlife Cruises operates under a Department of Conservation marine mammal permit, which allows us to responsibly view dolphins and other marine mammals when we encounter them.
Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. These are wild animals, free to travel throughout their natural range. That is part of what makes each day on the Bay different.
Explore Our Wildlife Guide
Dolphins
Dolphins are one of the wildlife encounters our guests most hope to experience.
As we sail through the Bay of Islands, our crew actively keep watch for signs of wild dolphins, including movement on the surface, seabird activity, fins, splashes and changes in the water. When we do encounter dolphins, we view them carefully under our DOC marine mammal permit.
Start with our Dolphin Guide to learn more about dolphins in the Bay of Islands, then explore the individual species we know and watch.
Explore Dolphins of the Bay of Islands
Meet the Bottlenose Dolphins of the Bay of Islands
Meet the Common Dolphins of the Bay of Islands
Meet the Orcas & Pilot Whales of the Bay of Islands
Seabirds & Little Blue Penguins
Keep watch for kororā/little blue penguins, gannets, shearwaters, petrels and other seabirds as we sail.
Some are seen regularly around the Bay, while others move through these waters at different times of year.
Explore Seabirds and Penguins of the Bay of Islands
Meet the Little Blue Penguins of the Bay of Islands
Meet the Australasian Gannets of the Bay of Islands
Whales
Whale encounters in the Bay of Islands are less predictable, which makes them particularly special when they happen.
Our Whale Guide introduces some of the species that may visit these waters, including Bryde’s and humpback whales.
Explore Whales of the Bay of Islands
New Zealand Fur Seals
In winter and spring, we sometimes spot New Zealand fur seals / kekeno hauled out on the rocks, resting quietly between time at sea.
They are seasonal visitors to the Bay of Islands, not a guaranteed sighting, but our crew know the places where seals are more likely to rest and will often scan the rocks as we pass.
Island Birds
The island stop brings a different kind of wildlife watching.
Listen for tūī and tīeke / saddlebacks calling from the bush, watch for dotterels and oystercatchers along the shore, and look for kākāriki, fantails, shags and other birdlife around the Bay’s islands and sheltered bays.
Sometimes the birdlife is something you see. Sometimes it is something you hear from the boat once the anchor is down and the engines are off.
Explore Bay of Islands Island & Shore Birds
Fish, Rays & Sharks
There is plenty of life below the surface too.
During the island stop, guests may notice shy reef fish around rocky areas, eagle rays gliding through clear water near the boat, or the occasional shark moving through the Bay’s marine food web.
These animals are wild, and we do not see everything every day. But when the water is clear and conditions are right, looking below the surface adds another layer to the day.
Explore Bay of Islands Fish, Rays & Sharks
Experience Wildlife on the Water
Our Wildlife Guide helps you learn more about the animals that live in and move through the Bay of Islands.
If you would like to experience the Bay for yourself, join us on Carino NZ for a relaxed small-group sailing, wildlife and island day cruise from Paihia.
We will keep watch as we sail, share what we know, and let the day unfold with the weather, the sea and the wildlife around us.
Explore the Island & Wildlife Day Cruise
