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The rotting carcass of a mysterious-looking 'sea
monster' has been found washed ashore on a New Zealand beach.
A YouTube video filmed by Elizabeth Ann on Pukehina Beach shows the
half-buried head of the carcass with jagged teeth and gaping jaws.
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Most of the rest of the creature's body is missing.
The strange 30-foot long carcass washed up off the coast of the Bay of
Plenty coast in New Zealand after storms in last month.
The coastline is about 120-miles south east from the city of Auckland.
Ann filmed the discovery and posted the video to YouTube.
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The description said: 'Can anyone identify what it is?'
'It is has a huge head and teeth with rudimentary flippers.'
'It seems about 9M in length but the lower part of the body is probably
mainly entrails from an attack.'
On another video by Elizabeth Ann, she added: 'The huge marine creature
washed up after a storm.
'It had been attacked by something in the water.
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'The locals are not sure what it is although it has stimulated lots of
discussion.'
Suggestions as to what the creature could be include a saltwater
crocodile, a giant moray eel, a dolphin or a dinosaur.
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Photos of the animal have been sent to the New Zealand Department of
Conservation and Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium for identification.
Marine mammal expert Anton van Helden rejected all these ideas and told
New Zealand's Channel 3 that the creature's fin structure is similar to
that of a killer whale.
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Killer whales are common in and around Fiji and the Bay of Plenty.
Further tests are being carried out to confirm this theory.
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