John Key pushing Maui dolphin to extinction

Dear friends across New Zealand,

The world’s smallest dolphin, found only in New Zealand, is on the brink of extinction. With only 55 adults left, dolphins continue to die in fishing nets -- and now a mining company wants to drill their seabed home. But our pressure can force PM John Key to act now to save this incredible creature. Sign the petition:

PM John Key is poised to push the world's rarest and smallest dolphin into extinction. Only 55 Maui dolphins exist in the world -- and they're all here in New Zealand where, without government protection, fishing and mining will wipe them off the face of the planet. If we act now, we can save them.

Despite the Maui dolphin’s precarious status, the government continues to allow dolphin-killing net fishingand is considering granting seabed mining licenses in their only habitat.

Responding to public pressure, the government opened a public inquiry into the dolphin -- but while they talk, dolphins die. Our outcry can force PM Key to immediately ban net fishing and seabed mining in the Maui’s dolphin’s home. If we get 10,000 signatures, we’ll personally deliver the message to the PM:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_The_Maui_Dolphin/?vl

The Maui’s dolphin is one of New Zealand’s treasures -- it is the smallest dolphin in the world, and the only with a rounded dorsal fin. Visitors to its habitat are often greeted by the playful dolphin, who spend most of their time feeding in the shallow waters of the North Island’s west coast.

But fishing and mining lobbies are critically endangering the Maui dolphin. Without protection, they'll be gone within the next decade. Mining giant TTR is pitching an “ultra-low cost” seabed mining operation in the dolphin’s home, and have already drilled 500 seabed cores looking for minerals to mine. If they go ahead, the Maui’s dolphin is as good as gone.

Locals are in the street protesting this plan -- and pressure has been slowly building. The government’s public inquiry is great news, but unless action is taken now it might be too late. Sign the petition to ensure PM John Key uses his powers to institute an immediate ban on net fishing and mining while the inquiry investigates further:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_The_Maui_Dolphin/?vl

Together, our community is winning the struggle to protect our oceans around the world. In 2010, 1.2 million Avaaz members played a crucial role in stopping Japan’s push to legalise commercial whaling, and last month nearly 600,000 of us supported the Australian government’s plan to establish the world’s largest marine reserve. Saving the Maui’s dolphin is about so much more than a unique animal -- it’s about our power to protect our planet and save what matters most.

With hope,

Emma, David, Paul, Emily and the whole Avaaz team


SOURCES

Dolphin's death reignites calls for set net ban (New Zealand Herald):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10782725

Govt criticised over Maui dolphin response (TVNZ):
http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/govt-criticised-over-maui-dolphin-response-4776719

Dolphin’s extinction could cause ripple effect (Independent Online):
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/dolphin-s-extinction-could-cause-ripple-effect-1.1256412

Protect Last 55 Adult Maui’s Dolphins Now (Scoop):
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1203/S00155/protect-last-55-adult-mauis-dolphins-now.htm


To sign the petition GO HERE