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Supplied
A 23-million-year-old whale fossil has been recovered by police, after being taken from a West Coast beach on Labour Weekend.
A treasured whale fossil taken from a West Coast beach will eventually be returned, and local iwi have worked with the offender “for a public apology”.
The fossil was hacked out of the coastal marine area at the mouth of the Little Wanganui River, near Karamea in northern Buller, in October in front of shocked locals who challenged the offender.
The alleged offender, who has a known interest in fossil collecting, falsely told locals he had iwi permission. The fossil was later recovered by police in a raid on a Granity property.
Iwi representative Francois Tumahai told the West Coast Regional Council last week they were working with police and the offender for the fossil to eventually be returned, and had met a couple of times to work on a path to put things right.
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“We’ve worked with him for a public apology.”
As well, a request had gone to the police for the fossil to be returned to the offender so he could undertake agreed restoration work on it prior to it being “properly returned”, Tumahai said.
Work on the fossil was needed before it could be re-presented to the community, although this was expected to take some time.
Peter Lei/Supplied
A rock saw, pictured, was used to cut the fossil out.
In the meantime, they were working with the Karamea community about where the fossil might be appropriately placed in the future.
Councillor Frank Dooley also asked for the iwi view on the theft of a serpentine boulder from council protection works at Serpentine Beach near Kumara, south of Greymouth, late last year.
Serpentine, along with pounamu is a taonga of Ngai Tahu and owned by the tribe under the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu Vesting Act.
ANDY JACKSON/STUFF
A fossil of a seal skull thought to be about 3 million years old.
Tumahai said there had been discussions with Hokitika police and council staff, however the alleged offender was currently incarcerated in Dunedin.
Acting consents and compliance manager Rachel Clark confirmed the serpentine had now been returned.
Her report to the council noted the alleged offender was in custody on other “serious matters”.
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