Mark Kitchingman Photography

30/01/2023

The beautiful Black Cat Catamaran is our flagship vessel based in Akaroa.
She cruises the harbour 365 days a year and is the largest of our fleet.

On board you will recieve a very warm kiwi welcome (crew mate Helen pictured here at the bow), along with complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

📸 Thanks to the awesome Mark Kitchingman Photography

https://blackcat.co.nz/akaroa-harbour-nature-cruise/

08/06/2022

Happy World Ocean Day everyone

Today is WORLD OCEAN DAY and to celebrate we would like to GIVE AWAY a Black Cat Cruises Protect Hector's Membership.

Tag a friend below who would love to help support our native Hector's dolphin and win a membership.

The membership includes a certificate, soft plush dolphin, and Hector's dolphin fact sheet. We donate a portion of the $29 a membership costs back to the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust.
https://blackcat.co.nz/protecthectors//

Entry closes midnight tonight. Winner selected tomorrow.

Stunning Hector's dolphin image photographed in Akaroa harbour by Mark Kitchingman

04/10/2021

hectors dolphins in akaroa celebrated for world animal day. Discover hectors dolphin facts, encounter dolphins in Akaroa and how you can help protect them.

19/05/2021

So happy to see my photo is still doing the rounds. Been thinking about you a lot lately Thabo.
Thabo, with all his traumas from the past, being an orphan, having been shot at by poachers when he was 3 years old, and not having an adult male around when he was young, and also maybe too much human care, has become a very unusual rhino. Just no interest in breeding...

We need to introduce a wild male rhino, who will be a bit of a father figure for Thabo, and to be able to grow our much needed rhino population with our two females.

As you might know, COVID has been a very challenging time for us in the hospitality/ conservation field, and the cost of buying a rhino is very high.

The total cost is R 170 000 (approx 12000 US $) for the buying of the rhino, the cost of capture, transport and veterinarian cost. You can give a donation on the link below:
https://www.givengain.com/cc/new-male-rhino-at-thula-thula/

We thank you for your generosity and support for this new project .

Francoise and the Thula Thula Team

A NEW MALE RHINO NEEDED AT THULA THULA 🦏
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT❤️

https://www.givengain.com/cc/new-male-rhino-at-thula-thula/

20/04/2021

Hi everyone. I need your help in winning the bottlenose dolphin photo selection for the month of May in the upcoming Black Phins & The New Zealand Whale & Dolphin Trust 2022 Calendar.

"This [calendar] is a fundraiser where 100% of the profits go to the NZ Whale & Dolphin Trust - each month will feature a species found in here in New Zealand waters."

Please vote for number four. Instructions are as follows:

The rules are simple:
1. Comment on the number of the photo you have picked on this post ( #4) - please only go to Black Phins original post to vote, as it will make it complicated to tally up votes on other pages😀)
2. One vote per person only.
3. This will end on Monday the 26th of April at 6pm.

Thank you for your support :-)

14/04/2021

Happy Dolphin Day everyone. And thank you to Foundation for the feature.

• … Happy Dolphin Day! … •
Hector’s dolphin (South Island subspecies) – Endangered*
Maui’s dolphin (North Island subspecies) – Nationally Critically Endangered (NZ)
They live only in the waters off New Zealand.
They are the smallest and the rarest marine dolphin, with two sub-species (above).
Hector’s dolphin species is estimated to number fewer than 9,000, down from about 30,000 in the early 1970s.
There are only about 60 Maui’s dolphins remaining.
They are highly intelligent, as reflected in their complex behaviour and social system.
Major Threats: Humans- commercial fishing, seabed mining, coastal development & boat strikes.
Please Donate / Follow / Share & Support New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust and their work with this beautiful rare species!
Read more: feature coming soon
< Follow us and make a difference! Thank you. >
——————————
📷: ©️ Mark Kitchingman Photography

[* category]

22/02/2021

Voting for the best hector/Maui dolphin that will be chosen for the Black Phins 2022 calendar (in collaboration with New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust), is now open. To vote, please go to the 'Black Phins' page and vote for photo number two (please read their instructions first before doing so). Thank you for your support.

21/02/2021

Black Phins is teaming up with New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust to create a 2022 calendar showcasing some of the amazing marine wildlife we have here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Proceeds will be given to New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust to help learn more about and protect our beloved wildlife. A hector/Maui dolphin image will be representing the month of January and Black Phins is holding a vote on their page, starting today at 6pm (NZ time), to select a photo. My photo below is in the running so please do me a huge favour and vote for it. The voting is open to all for one week. Thank you for your support :-)

09/12/2020

Check out Black Cat Cruises' latest blog about the world's smallest (and cutest) dolphins, featuring the photo that's still doing the rounds

Banks Pensinsula is the Home of the Hector's dolphins.The worlds rarest and smallest dolphin,only found in New Zealand.Discover them with Black Cat Cruises

11/11/2020

First time I've used my camera this year so please forgive me for my rustiness. Here are some photos I took of those magnificent sea pandas that came to visit Wellington Harbour today.

05/11/2020

I thought 'An Elephant In My Kitchen' was already available in Canadian and US bookstores? Hmm. Nonetheless, to all my Canadian and American friends... if you want a great book to read then I thoroughly recommend this novel. It's full of animal and human characters that will make you laugh, warns the world about the dangers conservationists risk everyday to protect rhinos and elephants from poachers, restores your faith in humanity, and much more. It also features two of my photos. Grab yourself a copy today.

US PAPERBACK version is released today in the UNITED STATES and CANADA 🦏🐘🦛🦒
If you love Africa, adventure and animals, you will love this book.
The continued story of this little paradise in Zululand called Thula Thula ❤️
www.AnElephantInMyKitchen.com
Also available in German, French, Dutch and soon in Chinese.