Pāua are a national treasure, as iconically Aotearoa as pineapple lumps and kiwi. Pāua have a long history as a source of meaty protein and decoration.
This week’s critter is the Manawatāwhi pāua, Haliotis pirimoana, a newly named species that only lives on Manawatāwhi Three Kings Islands in Te Tai Tokerau. Ngāti Kuri gave this species its scientific name, which translates as ‘the pāua that clings to the sea.’
Photo: CC BY 4.0 Jean-Claude Stahl, Te Papa
