The giant kōkopu
THE GIANT KŌKOPU
Made in New Zealand, our solid dairy milk chocolate fish is modelled on the giant kōkopu. It’s New Zealand’s largest freshwater fish, and one of the five whitebait species, now endangered. Six cents from every fish goes towards saving New Zealand’s waterways.
OUR FISH CAN SAVE A NATIVE NZ FISH
62% of New Zealand's rivers and lakes are graded unfit to swim in.
76% of our native fresh water fish, including the giant kōkopu, are threatened or at risk of extinction.
It's no surprises Kiwi's rate water pollution as the number 1 concern facing our country.
Each time we sell a chocolate fish, we will donate 6 cents to The Whitebait Connection. This will help fund the Whitebait Connection's local community programmes, involve schools and local iwi, to clean up NZ rivers and waterways and draw attention to best practice.
IN SEARCH OF THE GIANT KŌKOPU
As part of a recent school project, Dion Way and Isaac Goodwin from Ngatea Primary School (www.ngatea.school.nz) have produced a documentary about the elusive giant kokopu. They were inspired to make the film when they saw another of the kōkopu species, the banded kōkopu (Galaxias fasciatus), whilst on a recent holiday. They also said "We chose this topic because we think the native wildlife is very important to New Zealand."
During the making of their film, Dion and Isaac joined Dr Paul Franklin and Josh Smith from the NIWA freshwater fish team on a search for giant kōkopu. You'll have to watch the video to see what happened!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY2Y3YOqwrA
Dion and Isaac entered their documentary 'The Giant Kōkopu' into the 2011 New Zealand Media and Digital Excellence (MADE) Awards (www.madeawards.com). Almost 500 entries were received from around New Zealand and after first claiming the Year 7 & 8 documentary category from a field of six finalists, Dion and Isaac went on to claim the overall Supreme Award!
For more information go to NIWA website: www.niwa.co.nz
ECO-FRIENDLY
Our packaging is made from biodegradable card and compostable flow-wrap. Like our chocolate fish, the packaging is made right here in New Zealand. We’re 100% committed to making a product that not only rewards people who make a positive difference, but is also positively good for the planet, and for New Zealand.
The history of the giant kōkopu
The naturalist on James Cook's third voyage in 1773 collected and studied the Giant Kōkopu. It was given the scientific name Galaxias Argenteus by the father of palaeontology, the famous French naturalist and zoologist, George Cuvier because of its star like pattern on its body. Also known as 'the Māori trout' , the giant kōkopu is the largest of our native fish, which, as juveniles, are one of the 5 whitebait species.
Save the giant kōkopu & NZ waterways. Give chocfish.
Every fish counts.