This is the world's rarest dolphin

An undated handout photo released on Monday, by the Otago University and NZ Whale and Dolphin Trust shows a critically endangered Maui's dolphin swimming off the west coast of New Zealand's North Island

An undated handout photo (see below) released on Monday, by the Otago University and NZ Whale and Dolphin Trust shows a critically endangered Maui's dolphin swimming off the west coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Pic/AFP

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has called on New Zealand to take urgent action to save the world's rarest dolphin from extinction, voicing "grave concern" about its future.

The Maui's dolphin also known as popoto, is the world's rarest and smallest known subspecies belonging to the Hector's dolphin family. Hector's and Maui's are New Zealand's only endemic cetaceans (a widely distributed and diverse clade of carnivorous, finned, aquatic marine mammals) and are generally seen in water shallower than 20 m, but may also range further offshore.

Set-netting and trawling have been posing threats to the existence of the Maui's dolphin with the World Wildlife Fund in New Zealand launching the "The Last 55" campaign in May 2014, calling for a full ban over what it believed is their entire range.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!