Step 1 : Introduction to the question "2. What is the BIGGEST threat to the Maui's dolphin's existence?"
...1. Water pollution 2. Getting hit by boats 3. Food source growing smaller 4. Getting caught in fishing nets The Maui's dolphin can easily get caught in fishing nets (particularly nylon) which have been set to the spot, suffocating them and allowing them no escape, as well as being caught as bycatch. To help conservation efforts, a set net ban was put in place across the north-west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. This ban reached out to about 12.9 kilometres (or seven nautical miles) from the shore and excluded harbours. This was extended in 2012 to include Hawera, which is further south, and in this area it extended out to 3.7 kilometres (2 nautical miles). This does help conversational efforts indeed, but it still doesn't include the entire range of their distribution, which means they can still be caught in the nets outside of these banned areas. While all of the other options have contributed to their deaths to some extent, getting caught in fishing nets is definitely the biggest killer of Maui's dolphins. Another major threat is inbreeding due to the small population of Maui's dolphins.
