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| Keywords: NZ, New Zealand, Anatoki, Riwaka, crystal, pool, resurgence, freshwater, fresh, clear, water, swim, swimming, dive, diving, snorkel, snorkelling, freediving, reflection, mirage, mirror, surface, drink, drinking, thirst, thirsty, paradise, Eden, |
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| Through Takaka on the South Island west of Nelson, runs the Anatoki
River. At a tourist animal farm, Bencarri Farm, two old ladies have been
feeding large freshwater eels of the longfinned type (Anguilla dieffenbachii)
since the early thirties. Many of these animals do not swim out to sea
for spawning, but grow old instead, and large. The feeding still goes on,
every two hours during the summer season but less frequently during winter.
Tourists pay to view the feeding and to feed morsels of mince meat attached
to the end of a stick. While people sit abhorred high on the rocks, the
interpreter stands in the crystal clear water of a tranquil bend in the
river, with large eels hugging her feet. She can hand-feed them and they
let themselves be lifted out of the water, gently, showing no fear at all.
On this day the very large eels did not show, but during a reconnoitre underwater, we found them right where the feeding is staged. These eels are really large, about twice the thickness of the ones shown on these photos and they are some ninety years old! The reason for their aversion we also found because a farmer had dumped a sheep carcass in the river, plenty for a week's feed for these animals. |
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f211612: only about half a dozen eels are interested in food today, but at times their numbers swell to over two dozen. |
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f211532: this tourist attraction remains a low-key real family affair, the cat being part of the 'troupe'. |
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