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From: WADE DOAK
_: 5
Date: 09-12-09
Time: 16:24
I HAVE BEEN GETTING ASKED BY MEDIA FOR ADVICE ON THE MOKO SITUATION NOW HE IS AT GISBORNE, SO I WROTE THIS PIECE. [ IT SEEMS OVERSEAS MEDIA ARE GETTING THE SITUATION HIGHLY EXAGGERATED.]
MOKO ADVICE Wade Doak
My archive on solo dolphins shows they have maintained themselves for great lengths of time around humans. Their behaviours change from day to day. Moko may be at Napier next week or wherever. Auckland once had a South Island dusky dolphin living in mid-city Tamaki estuary: Tammy. Most people had no idea just how rare and untoward that actually was. A major boat race was scheduled in the estuary. Organisers cancelled it when they learnt Tammy was endangered. He left shortly afterwards.
When Donald in UK found everyone had gone to the pub on Xmas day, in a small sea port in Wales, desperate for attention he got the anchors of several yachts and tangled them all together so that a barge and crane were needed to raise the whole mess and free the yachts. When a diver got in the water to help he was bunted vigorously aside. Donald left bruises on young girls' legs and minor lacerations. But he also located my friend's lost underwater camera for him and guided divers back to their boat through murky water. He once picked up the heavy anchor of a very large catamaran yacht and towed it for several kilometres.
Moko could do much worse than steal a boogie board. Many solo dolphins have had a fascination with outboards. Nudgie in the USA would lift up outboard skegs and make them race madly. Maui at Kaikoura and several others have been injured by props, as they enjoy the spa pool effect of prop wash. Like humans and other social animals dolphins crave tactile stimulation. Propellors are a source. Dolphy in France and Opo in Northland were satisfied with a broom or a mop.
I could go on and on: { I have written four books relating to this: www.wadedoak.com ] there are a great many behaviours solo dolphins have manifested, that have annoyed people, which Moko has not exhibited to my knowledge. Some have deliberately stranded or entangled in ropes to get attention. This borders on the neurotic. I would say that Moko has been better behaved than a great many of his ilk and exceptionally creative in his play.
But then I could write at length on the stupid things humans have done to solo dolphins such as tipping a beer can down a blowhole or putting a lighted cigarette in it. Moko is at the mercy of any thoughtless action; of selfish, self-centred behaviours, show-offs, smart alecs; yobos etc. Or even women who get a bit too enthusiastic about stroking a silky smooth skinned young male in erogenous zones- and then complain when the dolphin is aroused. If I were to tote up both sides, solo dolphins would come out away ahead.
Of all the Moko commentators I have seen in the media, Jamie Quirk of Gisborne's local DOC makes the most sense to me: rather than advise people to avoid Moko, which will not work, [and Moko will cause more and more problems if neglected] Jamie tells people the best ways to behave in his presence. Since Jamie is on the spot, he is able to adapt his advice to the ongoing situation, which is most necessary, rather than calling on advice from experts at a distance who can just say " keep away; he is a wild animal".
The eyes of the whole world are on Gisborne and Moko right now; if anything silly is done to him, Gisborne will not look good. Fungie in Ireland has brought huge wealth to the tiny town of Dingle in the decades he has been there- more than 25 years. And Jean Louis, a female solo in France, held court for at least 12 years.
At the ancient town of Hippo [ in what is now Libya] their solo dolphin [ 109 AD] was killed because some citizens resented the commotion and disturbance it brought to their town. And 19 centuries late we are still judging them. Many solo dolphins eventually tire of humans and withdraw. Maui at Kaikoura now avoids people and has raised several young elsewhere. While Moko is with us we have a chance to justify the name we have given ourselves: the wise ape Homo sapiens, and see how much we can learn about the capacities of our nearest brain rival. Wade Doak
Last changed: 09-Dec-2009