14085 (2025). Hon Rachel Brooking to the Minister of Conservation

14085 (2025). Hon Rachel Brooking to the Minister of Conservation: What stress, if any, is caused to Hector’s dolphins by biopsy sampling?

Hon Tama Potaka: The Department of Conservation advises me that while boat interactions with the dolphins can increase stress to the animals, the behavioural reaction of dolphins to the impact of biopsy darts is generally mild and short-term.