Police are yet to identify a man found dead in Rotorua's Linton Park reserve area yesterday.
The death is not being treated as suspicious, but despite numerous enquiries police have been unable to establish who the man is.
Detective Sergeant Tony Colby said a public appeal was a last resort.
"We fully appreciate the sensitivity of this matter and making a public appeal of this nature is not a decision we take lightly.
We only take this step when we have exhausted all other avenues. It is important to us that we do everything possible to return this man to his family.''