Close encounters

We saw in week one how dolphins in particular socialise with other cetaceans beyond the bounds of their own species. But they aren’t just friendly with each other; stories abound about humans playing with, being rescued by, and even befriending dolphins and whales.

Aotearoa New Zealand has a history of beloved dolphins who have made overtures to humans, and been warmly embraced in return. In this step, we will reflect on some of the animals that have charmed this country over the decades.

In this step we will look at three such dolphins from the last century that captivated the nation; Pelorus Jack, Opo, and Moko.

Pelorus Jack

^{The dolphin Pelorus Jack, 1901-1909, by James McDonald. Purchased 2009. Te Papa (C.025093)}

Pelorus Jack was a lone Risso’s dolphin, who made his (or her) home around Admiralty Bay in the Marlborough Sounds in 1888. Risso’s dolphins are an extremely uncommon sight in Aotearoa New Zealand, and even more unusual is a solitary individual. They are known to be a gregarious species, usually found in large groups.

Why Pelorus Jack was all alone is unknown. Perhaps he had become separated from his pod by accident or disorientation. Regardless, the dolphin found fellowship with the sailors who frequented the area, spending his days accompanying ships in and out of the treacherous channel between Pelorus Sound and French Pass for over 20 years. He found international fame, becoming a much-loved national ambassador and tourist attraction.

Protecting Jack

^{Pelorus Jack, September 1911, Wellington, by Edgar Warwick. Gift of Patricia M. Mitchell, 1989. Te Papa (PS.000588)}

Following public outcry after he was reportedly shot at by a steamship passenger, in 1904 Pelorus Jack became possibly the first individual wild animal in the world for whom legislative protection was created (questionable though the actual text was). It stated that “it shall not be lawful for any person to take the fish or mammal of the species commonly known as Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the waters of Cook Strait, or the bays, sounds, and estuaries adjacent thereto.”

This protection was extended throughout Pelorus Jack’s life. The nation’s love for him, and the protection that sprang from it, sowed the seeds for the later 1978 Marine Mammals Protection Act. This Act extended to all dolphins and whales in Aotearoa New Zealand waters the same protections Jack enjoyed during his life here.

Jack disappeared in 1912, after 24 years of guiding ships. The nature of his death is as mysterious as his appearance, with many varied stories – and even confessions – about his demise. Being at least 24 years of age though, and likely older, he may also have died a natural death.

Opo the dolphin

^{Opo the dolphin, Opononi, 1956, by Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (F.005006/02). CC BY-NC-ND 4.0}

In 1955, another friendly dolphin made its way firmly into the national consciousness. Though her tenure was tragically much shorter than Pelorus Jacks, her legacy and the imprint she left on those who knew her was just as strong.

‘Opo’, a female bottlenose dolphin, made Ōpononi Beach in Hokianga her summer home. She frolicked with locals and juggled balls on her ihu (nose). She quickly became a national celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors, and even having songs written about her. Hear more about her story in the video below, made at the time.

Protecting Opo

^{Welcome to Opononi sign, 1956, Ōpononi, by Eric Lee-Johnson. Purchased 1997 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (O.030651). © Te Papa. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0}

Inspired both by the threats faced by Pelorus Jack 60 years prior and the protections granted to him, Ōpononi residents organised quickly to protect Opo. According to Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand:

Opo enjoyed being with children most, juggling beach balls or beer bottles on her snout, but she had her favourites among the adults as well. Some of the treatment she received was less welcome – jabs with oars and fights for her attention. Concerned about her fate, locals formed the Opononi Gay Dolphin Protection Committee and called on the government to protect her. As a result, at midnight on 8 March 1956 an order in council came into effect, making it an offence, carrying a £50 fine, to take or molest any dolphin in Hokianga Harbour.

The next day Opo was found dead, jammed in a crevice between rocks. Mystery surrounds her death, as it did Pelorus Jack’s. Some people suggested she had become stranded while fishing, others that she had been killed by fishermen using gelignite, and even more fancifully, that she had died by suicide because she lacked a mate.

Her loss was felt deeply around the country, and she is still celebrated fondly in the town today.

Several urban legends about Opo’s death also sparked a surreal episode of the kiwi-humour drenched documentary TV show, New Zealand Today in 2020.

Moko the dolphin

There have been a handful of other memorable dolphins in Aotearoa New Zealand that seem to have befriended humans to some degree, but the final one we will look at today is Moko, a pre-teen (in dolphin years) bottlenose dolphin who made himself known on the East Coast of the North Island from 2008 to 2010.

Moko formed a particularly close relationship with a local woman, Kirsty Carrington, and again locals organised among themselves to keep an eye on his safety. Moko himself took on the role of protector too.

He once guided to safety a pygmy sperm whale and her calf. The pair had beached on a sandbar and continued to rebeach, exhausted, a total of four times after humans refloated them. Moko, presumably hearing their calls of distress, swam to them, calmed them, and guided them out through the tricky narrow channel and back out to sea.

Watch the rest of Moko’s story in the clip below.

Connection to protection

These dolphins seem to have been alone, separated from their pods. Humans, it seems, were a source for the connection and enrichment these intelligent and playful creatures craved.

It is difficult in these cases to say whether their interaction with humans was to their benefit or detriment as individuals. They seem to have sought people out for companionship in otherwise lonely lives, but it also seems likely that their incursion into the human world of boats, fisheries, tensions, and pollution contributed to their untimely demise.

The impact they made in the public consciousness however, has undoubtedly worked in the favour of cetacean conservation efforts in general, as their endearing behaviour and the huge public interest around them led directly to increased cetacean protections in Aotearoa New Zealand waters.

^{Pelorus Jack, 1906, Nelson, by Muir & Moodie. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (PS.002405)}

Taniwha

All three of these famous dolphins were regarded by some of the local iwi (tribes) or hapū (sub-tribes) as taniwha – a water spirit or guardian. Various stories passed down through these iwi speak of taniwha acting as guardians.

The unusual behaviour of these animals evoked the supernatural nature of taniwha, and thus they were treated with respect and reverence by many local Māori. Pelorus Jack, Opo, and Moko were all linked to traditional tales.

These stories all concerned Kupe (the legendary Polynesian explorer that according to many oral Māori histories first discovered Aotearoa New Zealand), the great migration of his and other waka (Māori canoe) from the ancient homeland of Hawaiki, and the taniwha kaitiaki (guardians) who are said to have accompanied and guided them along the way.

Ocean saviours

There are countless tales of dolphins helping swimmers or surfers in strife, but these cross-species connections aren’t limited to just dolphins and humans. Many cetaceans, even the true giants of the deep like the baleen whales, have been observed showing gentleness and even altruism to each other, like we saw in week one.

Research has found that many cetaceans have both the brain structures and capacity for a level of consciousness, self-awareness, and empathy that rivals our own. The parts of the brain responsible for things like language and social intelligence are extremely well developed.

Humpback whales have long been known to exhibit altruism and when hearing stories like the one below, from world renowned cetacean expert Nan Hauser in Rarotonga, you can’t help but wonder just how much these animals are capable of.

In the next activity we will look at some of the other reasons that these animals need our protection. Our modern world has created a slew of serious threats to their safety and survival, some of which may be surprising.

Further resources

What (or which) was New Zealand’s first protected dolphin?, Te Papa blog

Humans and dolphins, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

The story of Pelorus Jack, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Video analysis of the behaviour of Pelorus Jack

Longer version of the 1956 documentary footage about Opo (10 mins)

The story of Opo, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

More images of Opo from the Te Papa collections

Opo (1991), dramatised full length documentary about Opo written and starred in by Rawiri Paratene of Whale Rider fame

Whales, dolphins and enchanted logs, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Moko the bottlenose dolphin, Department of Conservation

Farewell to Moko the dolphin, NZ Herald

Are humpback whales the nicest animals in the world?, Whale Scientists

Did humpbacks try to save a seal from orcas? See for yourself.