Famous Kiwi dolphin believed dead

The body of a bottlenose dolphin, believed New Zealand's famous Moko, has washed up
on a beach on the North Island.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation said a photograph of the dolphin, found
on Matakana beach, on the east coast of the North Island on Wednesday, appeared to
be Moko.
Marine ranger Jamie Quirk made the call based on the sex, size and species and
number of teeth missing, Radio New Zealand reported.
For years the 250-kilogram Moko was celebrated for his youthful exuberance, winning
thousands of fans for his Flipperesque, fun-loving ways.
But last year he transformed from a gregarious youngster into an insolent,
hormone-pumped teenager, earning a reputation for stealing surfboards and making
amorous advances on young women.
The Department of Conservation will try to recover the body on Thursday.