Editing Taniwha (section)

==Characteristics==
[[Image:Taniwha rock carving from the side (Lake Taupo).jpg|thumb|200px|right|A rock carving of taniwha near [[Lake Taupō]]]]
[[Image:He Purapura - Te Taniwha Me Te Poraka (28006983045).jpg|thumb|200px|right|A drawing by Murray Grimsdale]]
At sea, a taniwha often appears as a [[whale]] or a large shark<ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288579743|title = The whale road: Transitioning from spiritual links, to whaling, to whale watching in Aotearoa New Zealand|last = Jøn|first = A. Asbjørn|date = 2014|journal = Australian Folklore: A Yearly Journal of Folklore Studies|access-date = 11 February 2016|publisher = University of New England|issue = 29}}</ref> such as [[southern right whale]] or [[whale shark]];<ref>[[New Zealand Geographic]], 2019, [https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-whales-are-back/ The whales are back]</ref> compare the Māori name for the [[great white shark]]: ''mangō-taniwha''. In inland waters, they may still be of whale-like dimensions, but look more like a [[gecko]] or a [[tuatara]], having a row of spines along the back. Other taniwha appear as a floating log, which behaves in a disconcerting way (Orbell 1998:149–150, Reed 1963:297). Some can tunnel through the earth, uprooting trees in the process. Legends credit certain taniwha with creating harbours by carving out a channel to the ocean. [[Wellington]]'s harbour, [[Te Whanganui-a-Tara]], was reputedly carved out by two taniwha. The petrified remains of one of them turned into a hill overlooking the city. Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera Ranges area of Wairoa District was also reputedly carved out by taniwha. Other taniwha allegedly caused landslides beside lakes or rivers.

Taniwha can either be male or female.  The taniwha [[Āraiteuru]] is said to have arrived in New Zealand with the early voyaging canoes and her eleven sons are credited with creating the various branches of the [[Hokianga Harbour]] (Orbell 1995:184–185).<ref>"A white dolphin that regularly met ships in the French Pass region became known to Pakeha as [[Pelorus Jack]], but was recognised by Maori people Tuhirangi".Orbell,M. ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Maori Myth and Legend'' (1995),p225</ref>

There has been some speculation based on several marine sightings and on purported habitat & physical representations that the Taniwha myth may be based on periodic populations of [[Saltwater Crocodile]] which rarely end up crossing the strait from Australia.  Northern New Zealand presently appears to be just outside the temperature range where a population can sustain itself indefinitely, dying out during unusually cold winters.<ref>[https://investigatemagazine.co.nz/20219/taniwha-mystery-solved-salt-water-crocodiles-visit-nz Taniwha Mystery Solved: Saltwater Crocodiles visit NZ?] Investigate Daily Magazine</ref>