What do Taniwhas do?

What do Taniwhas do?

Taniwha are supernatural creatures in Māori tradition, similar to serpents and dragons in other cultures. They were said to hide in the ocean, rivers, lakes or caves. Some taniwha would eat and kill people, or kidnap women.

Can Taniwhas fly?

When she collided into Whitireia she caused a huge gully, which is where Onepoto park is now. This is the story of how Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua, learnt how to fly.

What animal is a taniwha?

Taniwha have been described as fabulous monsters that live in deep water. Others refer to them as dragons – many taniwha looked like reptiles, had wings and ate people. They could also take the shape of animals such as sharks, whales, octopuses, or even logs.

Are taniwha good?

Some tribes view taniwha as ‘kaitiaki’ or ‘protectors of the people’. They believe that taniwha are forces for good, that they protect people and their land. Others are depicted as frightening and dangerous. In some stories, taniwha kidnap people – usually women, so that they can keep them as wives.

What does a real taniwha look like?

At sea, a taniwha often appears as a whale or as quite a large shark such as southern right whale or whale shark; compare the Māori name for the Great white shark: mangō-taniwha. In inland waters, they may still be of whale-like dimensions, but look more like a gecko or a tuatara, having a row of spines along the back.

Are taniwha extinct?

Taniwhasaurus (from the Māori taniwha, a supernatural, aquatic creature, and the Greek σαυρος (sauros), meaning lizard) is an extinct genus of mosasaur (carnivorous marine lizards) which inhabited New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Antarctica.

How big is a taniwha?

Described by those who have seen them as “logs that moved”, there have been confirmed sightings of specimens up to two metres in length—much longer than Haines is tall—and weighing up to 40 kg.

Who killed the taniwha?

Many years passed and the woman bore the taniwha six sons, with three like their father and three fully human. She educated all her sons and in particular taught her human sons the art of war, helping them to fashion and use weapons. The human sons then killed their three taniwha brothers, and eventually their father.

Do eels bite NZ?

Do they bite? Many people are scared of eels, because they are snakelike and slimy, and can slither over land. There are very few reports of eels attacking, but if they do, their teeth can grip. In one incident a longfin eel bit the wetsuit of a diver, who had to use a knife to release its hold.

Are eels blind?

Electric eels live in muddy waters. Mostly blind, they rely on low-level electrical pulses to navigate and explore their surroundings. Higher levels of voltage are generated to stun or kill prey and to protect them from predators.

What to do if an eel bites you?

What to do immediately after a moray eel bite

  1. Wash small, superficial wounds immediately with soap and water.
  2. Put pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding.
  3. Apply antibacterial ointment and cover with a sterile bandage.
  4. Take an at-home pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).

Do eels bite humans?

“Eel attacks are quite rare. Basically, eels aren’t aggressive to humans,” he said. “If they feel trapped or if a human sticks their foot down in a hole, they may defensively bite.”