Grabbed the torches last night and followed freshwater ecologist Frances Forsyth and the Mt Cook community up the bushy Papawai Stream in search of NZ’s fascinating, nocturnal native fish! Our young ambassador, Cassidy, was thrilled to catch and observe up close a two year old banded kokopu. This secretive fish is a member of the ancient galaxiid family – that we know as ‘whitebait’ when they are young http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/freshwater-fish/whitebait-migratory-galaxiids/

Banded kokopu are great climbers but it’s amazing to think that they swim and climb up from Wellington’s harbour through the underground streams beneath the city to emerge in this suburban stream! Imagine that! MAGIC. The kids also eyeballed a female freshwater koura with her orange eggs tucked under her tail. These special and fabulous fishy critters are definitely going to feature in our ‘Imagine My City’ adventure in November!