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[NZ] The jawbone of washed-up whale in New Zealand was removed with chainsaw and stolen
https://www.npr.org/2024/05/19/1252323573/new-zealand-sperm-whale-jawbone-stolenThe jawbone of washed-up whale in New Zealand was removed with chainsaw and stolen
MAY 19, 2024 6:00 AM ET
Clare Marie Schneider
New Zealand Department of Conservation staff assess the remains of a deceased sperm whale.
Department of Conservation (NZ)
The jawbone of a nearly 50-foot sperm whale that washed ashore on Oreti Beach in New Zealand's southernmost region has been removed with a chainsaw and stolen, according to New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
In a DOC press release on Monday, officials noted that the act is illegal under the country's Marine Mammals Protection Act of 1978. Offenders could face fines up to around $150,000 U.S. dollars.
"Someone has come along with a chainsaw and taken the jawbone," said DOC Senior Ranger Rosalind Cole.
[...]
While the act is illegal, it's also considered disrespectful to the iwi, a social unit of the Māori people indigenous to the island nation. Whale bones are considered prized treasures, also known as taonga, in Māori culture.
[...]
MAY 19, 2024 6:00 AM ET
Clare Marie Schneider
New Zealand Department of Conservation staff assess the remains of a deceased sperm whale.
Department of Conservation (NZ)
The jawbone of a nearly 50-foot sperm whale that washed ashore on Oreti Beach in New Zealand's southernmost region has been removed with a chainsaw and stolen, according to New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
In a DOC press release on Monday, officials noted that the act is illegal under the country's Marine Mammals Protection Act of 1978. Offenders could face fines up to around $150,000 U.S. dollars.
"Someone has come along with a chainsaw and taken the jawbone," said DOC Senior Ranger Rosalind Cole.
[...]
While the act is illegal, it's also considered disrespectful to the iwi, a social unit of the Māori people indigenous to the island nation. Whale bones are considered prized treasures, also known as taonga, in Māori culture.
[...]