A 2.5m blue shark looks for an escape route after becoming trapped in a popular swimming spot on Wellington Harbour, near Te Papa. Photo / Mark Mitchell
A 2.5m blue shark looks for an escape route after becoming trapped in a popular swimming spot on Wellington Harbour, near Te Papa. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Crowds of people remain gathered at Wellington's waterfront this evening to catch a glimpse of a trapped blue shark.
The blue shark, which is over two metres long, has trapped itself near the jumping platform off Taranki Street by national museum Te Papa.
The area where the shark was issurrounded by blue plastic, which was in place to prevent the water from becoming polluted as it was a popular spot for swimmers.
Ruth Belton, manager of Cafe Moana, which is located along the waterfront said she spotted the shark right beside the cafe when she arrived for work this morning.
A crowd gathers to watch as the blue shark looks for an escape route. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"The tarpaulin doesn't go right down to the seabed. That will be how he's got in, he's gone deep and come in underneath it and hasn't quite figured out yet how to get back out again.
"Apparently he is a blue shark... he's very beautiful, he's actually quite a translucent blue. It's quite lovely."
Despite showers falling throughout the capital today, crowds of excited people were stopping to take a look, Ms Belton said.
Photo / Mark Mitchell
A man bravely leans over to photograph the 2.5m blue shark. Photo / Mark Mitchell
"It's not the nicest day but there has definitely been a wee crowd around... a lot more people than you expect on a day like this. A lot of people are stopping.
"He's towards the surface - sometimes he swims out. But he is not swimming deep he is swimming around on the surface."
Ms Belton said she had called the Department of Conservation.
"In the past we have had little penguins trapped. They have come down, there was one that they helped remove, the others have just found their own way out.
"Hopefully they'll keep an eye on him."
Blue sharks
* Are the second fastest of all sharks clocking in speeds of up to 40km/h * They eat mainly fish and squid * They are generally very docile, although have been known to kill humans * Blue sharks are found worldwide
