TURTLE IN RIVER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 79, 15 January 1936, Page 3

TURTLE IN RIVER.

A MAORI'S RARE CATCH.

(Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, January 14

The first recorded instance of a turtle being caught at an appreciable distance inland in New Zealand occurred at Taupiri during the weekend. A Maori, T. Kani, was fishing for catfish in the Mangawaru Stream, and once when he pulled in his lino he was startled to find that he had hooked a small turtle about 11 inches long. Considerable interest was taken in the finding of the turtle by Mr It. A. Falla (assistant-director of the War Memorial Museum), when the matter was reported to him. He said that although it was not uncommon for turtles to bo found in northern waters, principally off the west coast beaches in the summer, this in his knowledge was the first turtle to have been captured at any great distance inland. There is a warm current that sweeps down from tho tropics along the west coast about this time of the year, Mr Falla said, and in the past turtles have been seen, and in some cases captured on west coast beaches near Dargaville and near Hokianga Harbour. Turtles have also been encountered at the Bay of Islands. This particular specimen, which is probably quite young, must have found its way up the Waikato River into the stream from which it was hooked.