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Story: Eels

Tame eels, Lower Moutere

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Tame eels, Lower Moutere

In some places wild eels are fed and they become quite tame, habitually returning to the feeding area. These eels are being fed in a stream at Lower Moutere, Nelson. Other places where eels can be seen and fed are the Anatoki Valley in Golden Bay (where they have been hand-fed for over 90 years), the wharf in Queenstown and at Pūkaha Mt Bruce (Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre) in the Wairarapa.

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Department of Conservation

Reference: 10024985

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How to cite this page

Paddy Ryan, Eels – Export and fishery management, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11131/tame-eels-lower-moutere (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paddy Ryan, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Ryan
09 June 2011
What about Boris the eel from Pukekura park in New Plymouth supposedly one of the largest living eel in NZ? no mention of it + other eels in the lakes people feed them all the time