Te Pēwhairangi is a marine mammal mecca, with prominent tourism, seasonal visitors and cultural ties. The area welcomes many marine mammals big and small (including threatened, at risk, and data deficient species):

• blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
• bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
• bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera brydei)
• common dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
• false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
• killer whale (Orcinus orca)
• humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
• NZ fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri)
• pilot whale (Globicephala Sp.)