Moko case not going to court

A woman who allegedly struck Moko the dolphin with a waka oar will not be prosecuted. The incident apparently happened in Omaio Bay, 56km northeast of Opotiki, on January 13.

But Henry Weston, East Coast and Bay of Plenty conservator for the Department of Conservation, said yesterday that not enough evidence could be found to pursue the matter in court. "The legal and social issues are not straightforward when we are dealing with a dolphin that actively seeks out human interaction," Mr Weston said.