Elvers Steal the Show at Waka Ama Nationals
A simple guessing game turned into a moment of learning and connection at the Waikato River Authority tent at this year’s Waka Ama Sprint Nationals at Lake Karāpiro.
Hundreds of tamariki crowded around a tank of tiny, wriggling elvers (baby tuna), trying to guess how many were inside. The three-day competition quickly became one of the most popular activities at the tent, with more than 1,000 guesses made by the fascinated young visitors.
Out of all those entries, sharp-eyed Lytoyo Ormsby nailed it – guessing the exact number of elvers in the tank.
“I couldn’t believe it when they told me I got it right,” Lytoyo says. “I just looked really carefully and tried to count how many were in one corner.”
Like many visitors to the tent, it was Lytoyo’s first time seeing baby tuna.
“I’ve seen big eels before, but not the baby ones. They’re so small, and they move really fast. I learned that they travel a long way from the ocean into our rivers,” she says.
The elver tank sparked huge interest among young and old, with many stopping to ask questions about tuna (eel) life cycles, migration, and how local iwi are helping the elvers on their journey upstream.
Waikato River Authority Chief Executive Antoine Coffin was on hand during the week to take care of the elvers and share with visitors the importance of translocating them.
“It was a privilege to share this mahi with the many tamariki and their whānau,” Antoine says. “Moments like this help our young people connect with the awa, understand what lives in it, and see that they have a role in caring for it into the future.”
