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Kōrero: Dolphins

Dolphin fossil site, Waitaki Valley

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Dolphin fossil site, Waitaki Valley

This site is on the Vanished World Trail, in the limestone terrain of the Waitaki Valley in the South Island. Fossilised skeletons of dolphins, whales and penguins as well as other organisms from 25 million years ago have been discovered there – relics of a time when the valley formed the floor of a shallow sea.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by Simon Nathan

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Gerard Hutching, Dolphins – Ancient dolphins – the fossil record, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/4695/dolphin-fossil-site-waitaki-valley (accessed 14 July 2026).

He kōrero nā Gerard Hutching, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009, updated 1 September 2015.