Clarke Gayford's newest 'dad cardigan' features endangered Māui dolphins

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's partner Clarke Gayford is known to sport the occasional dad cardigan, and the latest addition to his wardrobe is a nod to his passion for sea life.

Gayford was gifted the handmade light brown zip-front cardigan by Auckland women's knitting group Kumeuknitty.

The zip-up cardigan features two Māui dolphins on the front.

The fishing show host gave the knitting group a shoutout in an Instagram post.

"Outstanding craftmanship from the KumeuKnittys with this new addition Dad-Cardie for the wardrobe," he wrote.

"Fashion, functioning and informative raising the plight of our little endangered Westcoast friends the Maui Dolphin."

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Outstanding craftmanship from the KumeuKnittys with this new addition Dad-Cardie for the wardrobe. Fashion, functioning and informative raising the plight of our little endangered Westcoast friends the Maui Dolphin. I've been lucky enough to surf with a pod of Maui once, to see them up close is to realise what incredible little toanga they really are.

A post shared by Clarke Gayford (@clarkegayford) on Jun 15, 2020 at 12:58pm PDT

Gayford said he'd been lucky enough to surf with a pod of Māui dolphins before.

"To see them up close is to realise what incredible little toanga they really are."

It's not the first time Gayford has sported a cardigan. When baby Neve was born in 2018 he had his grey and black dad cardi ready to go, purchased from a Gisborne Salvation Army shop.

Auckland's West Coast is the home of the critically endangered Māui dolphin. The Department of Conservation recently estimated that there are only around 63 over one year of age remaining.