Encounter Atlas
The waitoreke is a small, otter- or beaver-like animal reported in New Zealand's South Island for over 200 years. New Zealand's only native land mammals are bats, so any furry swimmer would be a real mystery.
On Captain Cook's second voyage, crew members at Dusky Sound saw a cat-sized, short-legged, mouse-coloured animal in 1773. Geologist Julius von Haast reportedly obtained a brown pelt with white spots in 1868, which sounds more like a quoll. Reports clustered around Otautau in Southland.
Suggested explanations include seals, escaped or introduced animals, or stories that grew in the telling. Nothing has been confirmed.
What witnesses report
- A cat-sized, brown, furry animal near water
- Short legs and a long tail
- Swimming like an otter
Famous cases
- 1773Cook's crew see a cat-sized four-footed animal
Dusky Sound, New Zealand
Seen the Waitoreke?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
