Tangi held for Moko

A tangi for Moko has been held in the Bay of Plenty while iwi discussions on the dolphin's final resting place continued over the weekend.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) last week said a decomposing dolphin carcass washed up on Matakana Island, north of Mount Maunganui, was "probably" Moko.

The bottlenose dolphin delighted thousands of people - and ruffled a few feathers - with his love of human company and playful antics in Mahia, Gisborne, Whakatane and Mt Maunganui.

Both Bay of Plenty and the northern Hawke's Bay are vying to be Moko's final resting place.

DOC spokeswoman Katrina Knill said today that iwi representatives from Ngati Awa, Ngai Te Rangi and Mahia met during the weekend to continue discussions on where the dolphin would be laid to rest.

Iwi also held a tangi for Moko on Matakana Island during the weekend.

The dolphin's carcass is at Massey University where marine mammal pathologists are working to determine the cause of death.

A necropsy has been completed and tissue samples taken, but the cause would not be known until midweek at the earliest.

- NZPA