4103 posts
Two girls have been left bruised following a run-in with Gisborne's resident dolphin, Moko.
While the 12-year-olds, both junior lifeguards, were out on their paddle boards yesterday, Moko knocked them off as he tried to get hold of the boards, The Gisborne Herald reported.
One of the girls was left with an injured nose, while the other got a bruised hip.
Both were unable to retrieve their boards and as they used another one provided by a fellow lifeguard to make their way back to shore the dolphin also tried to get hold of that one.
The Department of Conservation has warned swimmers about getting too close to Moko, whose behaviour has become increasingly aggressive over the past few months.
Surf Lifesaving Gisborne development officer Rama Robertson said children with boards could easily be dragged out to sea by Moko.
...........well maybe not mad but becoming a concern as Moko apart from hijacking body boards and surfboards sometimes hinders people's efforts to make their way back to shore as it would rather keep having "fun".
QLD
57 posts
A friend of mine from Noosa Roger Hansard recently returned from Gisborne where he also encountered the antics of Moko while out surf ski paddling with old friends from Waikanae SLSC ... what a character ... (Hansard as well)
VIC
1722 posts
They said on the news the other night it just wants a partner to get a bit kinky with.
Obviously it's been a while for the poor dolphin! Anyone got a dophin suit to help the
poor thing out?
QLD
295 posts
Throw Denis Ferguson in with moko and see how he likes it.
4103 posts
A man has been charged with assault with a weapon after allegedly taking exception to his partner playing with Moko the dolphin.
The 36-year-old accused is said to have thrown a rock at his 23-year-old partner as she swam with the dolphin in Gisborne on Christmas Eve.
She was struck in the head just as she surfaced from a dive with the animal.
The woman was not seriously injured.
The accused has made a brief appearance at the Gisborne District Court this morning.
He was granted bail, but has been instructed to stay at least 200 metres away from Moko at all times.
4103 posts
With Moko having left Gisborne a fisherman has reported an encounter with a large bottle nose dolphin further round the coast..........
at an East Coast beach, adding weight to the suggestion that Moko is finding a new home in the Bay of Plenty. John Clarke, from Taupo, was chased by the dolphin in Omaio Bay, northeast of Opotiki, on Saturday morning. It was a similar size to Moko, with the same markings. The Department of Conservation could not confirm that Moko had reached the region, but his minders in Gisborne said the description was accurate. Mr Clarke, 43, said he was fishing with his wife, Karina, 1.5km offshore when the ocean exploded. "We saw this dark shape, it seemed 12 foot long under our 10-foot boat. I've never seen a dolphin that big." The dolphin chased his small aluminium speedboat, nudging it from behind.
....guess the fisherman didn't want to play
4103 posts
Okay coz I know some of you can hardly get a good night's sleep worrying about what's happeened to Moko the dolphin.....here's the latest.
Firstly when he went round to Whakatane police were considering to lay charges against a woman waka paddler who broke her paddle upon Moko when he was hindering their return to shore.
And now....almost a movie star
"Moko, the friendly dolphin, is about to become a film star.
Marine biologist and filmmaker Amy Taylor is making a documentary on Moko and wants people to come forward to share their experiences and memories of him.
Moko, and the love people had for him, would be used as a stark comparison to the thousands of dolphins killed in Japanese waters every year, Ms Taylor told The Gisborne Herald.
"Moko has become a bit of an ambassador for dolphins because he has come forward and taught a lot of people what incredible creatures dolphins are."
Moko has recently taken up residence off the coast of Whakatane after years of brightening up the lives of Gisborne people.
- NZPA
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