Latest news with #Māui
Scoop
20 hours ago
- Science
- Scoop
Rewards Await Whale Watchers
The prospects look good for a rewarding countrywide whale and dolphin count this Matariki weekend (running Friday 20-Sunday 22). Humpback and southern right whales are being reported already, traveling along the South Island's east coast over the last week, heading north on their great migration. That means sightings off the North Island are likely too, for keen whale watchers this weekend. The weekend's events are the sixth annual countrywide whale and dolphin count, which continues to gain momentum. More eyes on the sea and more whale and dolphin sightings make for an exciting event. Event organiser Christine Rose says 'It's easy and fun to take part. The countrywide whale and dolphin count gives people a reason to get out into nature and experience 'peak whale' as the big migrating species like humpbacks and southern right whales come close to shore on their way to their breeding grounds.' 'As well as contributing to the country's only nationwide whale and dolphin count, the event celebrates the annual return of these leviathans, and the year round presence of special ocean dwellers, some of whom, like Māui and Hector's dolphins, are only found here.' The countrywide whale and dolphin count is for everyone. All that's needed is to head to a beach or high point, in warm clothes, and stare out to sea, for a couple of hours. Whales and dolphins can be distinguished by anomalies on the water surface, including sun shining on their backs, their spouts, and often, tail slapping and leaps - special traits of humpback whales in particular. "For people venturing out to look for whales for the first time, we recommend taking a pair of binoculars if you have them - but no worries if not, because often whales and dolphins are easily spotted with the naked eye, says Mrs Rose. Having a family or team of spotters helps cover a wider area. Prepare for excitement, and a fun day out in the fresh air, whether you see them or not. By getting involved, people are taking part in a unique citizen science project that helps raise awareness and celebrates both the mighty and the small lives we share our beautiful ocean planet with. For more details see Whale and Dolphin Spotting New Zealand - Cetacean Spotting NZ, where the excitement is building with lots of humpback sightings reported in recent weeks, and guidelines about how to take part, as well as the sightings reporting form.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
Melting dolphins mimic threat
Otago Polytechnic Dunedin School of Art student Jemma Edenborough displays her 54 Māui dolphins made of ice, which later melted in the Octagon yesterday. Photo: Peter McIntosh A Dunedin artist has left 54 Māui dolphin sculptures made from ice to melt in the Octagon to draw attention to the species' fast-approaching extinction. Yesterday, Otago Polytechnic Dunedin School of Art student Jemma Edenborough put her hand-made sculptures on the site of the old Star Fountain and left them there to melt. She sculpted 54 Māui dolphins as that was how many were left when the population was last counted in 2021, she said. Miss Edenborough said in theory there were still 54, but there had been at least five confirmed deaths since then. "Basically, they are going to go extinct, relatively soon — the piece is about mourning something before it's gone. "There's little we can do about it — it's rather depressing." The dolphins were dying from a mix of accidentally getting caught in fishing nets and from toxoplasmosis, she said. "It's not really a cheerful piece of artwork, but hopefully it's important enough to justify it being so sad." She decided to lay her Māui dolphins on the site of the old Star Fountain because, like the dolphins, it had only been around for 30 years. "Similarly, these guys have only had their own distinct classification separate from the Hectors dolphins since 2006 — if we lose them around 2036, we would have also only had them for about 30 years." The dolphins were made using a mould Miss Edenborough carved from macrocarpa. She then made six plastic moulds to freeze water in the shape of the Māui dolphins. It took her about two weeks to freeze them and ice-cream store Gelato Junkie let her store them in its freezer.
RNZ News
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
The Sampler - Riki Pirihi & Abigail Aroha Jensen climb the stairs to heaven with LP Tūpiki
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. In 2025, securing arts funding remains a challenge. With limited resources and growing competition, the space to create truly innovative, non-commercial music has become increasingly rare. That's what makes a project like Tūpiki feel especially significant. Developed during an audio foundation residency, this album stands as a powerful example of what can emerge when artists are given the time and space to explore sound on their own terms. Tūpiki is the collaborative work of Riki Pirihi—widely known in Aotearoa's music communities as multi-instrumentalist and drummer Riki Gooch—and Abigail Aroha Jensen, an artist celebrated for weaving field recordings into immersive, otherworldly sonic landscapes. Together, they've crafted a richly textured and spiritually resonant album that could only have been made outside the pressures of the commercial music industry. Photo: Susan Te Kahurangi-King The title Tūpiki , translated into English as 'to ascend,' draws inspiration from the story of Māui's celestial journey—ascending the 12 steps of heaven, Te Ara Poutama , in search of the baskets of knowledge. Each track on the album represents a step in this spiritual voyage, unfolding like chapters in an oral history carried forward through sound. At the heart of Tūpiki lies a deep engagement with whakapapa and the healing power of puoro . Jensen's research, grounded in mātauranga Māori, informed the album's shape and direction. Through the energy centres of the puku (gut), manawa (heart), korokoro (throat), and ūpoko (head), and using taonga pūoro such as the putorino and koauau , the album explores sound as a vessel for connection, healing, and remembrance. The album spans four parts, each with a distinct sonic palette. A standout moment comes in the track Te Toi-o-nga-rangi , where Pirihi's expressive drumming takes centre stage. Water gongs echo like sloshing buckets of rain, swirling in wild rhythms against a backdrop of chimes. Tongue drums, vibraphones, gongs, and kettle drums converge to create a spiritual bedrock—each element evoking the mythic scale of Māui's journey. Listening to Tūpiki , one can easily imagine the artists channelling their tūpuna, tracing Māui's footsteps as he ascends towards wisdom. Every note feels steeped in wairua—an invitation not just to listen, but to ascend. More than just a record, Tūpiki is a living, breathing taonga —an intricate sonic dialogue between two artists profoundly connected to their heritage and each other. It's explorative, healing, and sacred—a reminder of what can be achieved when music is made not for profit, but for purpose.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Authorities share tragic update after juvenile bottlenose dolphin is freed from fishing net: 'This is a tragic reminder'
A bottlenose dolphin died after getting caught in a fishing net. New Zealand's 1News reported that, in early January, a juvenile dolphin was entangled in a fishing net close to Riverhead, a small town northwest of Auckland on the country's North Island. Even though a team freed the dolphin from the net, less than a week later, it was found deceased. The Department of Conservation discovered that she had suffered an infected wound where the net entangled her, and she eventually died from blood poisoning. After she died, the dolphin was given the name Te Ihu Wai Pounamu by a local Māori tribe, Ngāti Whātua. "This is a tragic reminder to minimize floating slack lines when setting fishing gear and to dispose of waste and old gear responsibly to prevent marine debris," the DOC said in a statement. This is a cruel reminder of the dangers aquatic life face. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that more than 300,000 dolphins, porpoises, and whales die each year after being entangled in fishing nets. Certain species, including New Zealand's Māui dolphins, are at risk of extinction because of this threat. But it's not just the fishing industry that causes the unnecessary deaths of these animals. Environmental factors, namely heat-trapping pollution and the resulting warming climate, also play a major role. Rising ocean temperatures, for example, can force larger marine mammals to come up for air more often. This makes them more susceptible to being hit by boats and other vessels. Some researchers also believe the changing climate may be behind an increase in algae that contains domoic acid, which is toxic to many sea creatures. This algae has caused the deaths of up to 100 dolphins and 100 sea lions off the California coast. Should taxpayers help pay to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? We should pay for all of it We should pay some but not all Corporations should foot the bill Charities should pay for it Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. And in Wales, bottlenose dolphins were swamped by raw sewage that was intentionally released into a river. One of the most effective ways to protect marine life is to make your voice heard. By contacting your elected officials, you can advocate for legislation and regulations that make life safer for dolphins — and cleaner for everyone who depends on our waters for food, income, and recreation. But there are also choices you can make in your daily life. By reducing the amount of single-use plastics you use, you will create less pollution in the ocean. And when you go shopping, support companies that use the most eco-friendly, sustainable practices. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
