‘‘I wouldn’t mind. I know where all the exits are now.’’
The Cromwell 8-year-old had an opportunity to see inside a life-sized adult male humpback whale at Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday, as part of the New Zealand Festival of Nature.
After emerging from the mammoth marine mammal, he simply said it was big, and there was no blood — ‘‘just guts’’.
‘‘You could see its heart, its brown teeth [bristles] and its blowhole.
‘‘It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.’’
Mahe was one of thousands of children who appeared to get swallowed up by Project Jonah’s inflatable walk-through whale yesterday, which aimed to educate children about the species which plies a route past the Otago coastline each year.
They could learn about whale biology, and ways to help protect both them and the ocean.
Project Jonah volunteers also protect and help marine mammals by rescuing stranded whales and dolphins, picking up litter on beaches, acting as a watchdog to expose marine mammal suffering and helping to create and enforce laws that will protect these animals.
The sight of a fully grown whale on the pitch at the stadium was one of the major attractions of the event, which also included appearances by Suzy Cato, sustainable markets, hands-on displays and scientists.
