Moehau: New Zealand’s Bigfoot
Tony Lucas’s depiction of a Moehau. Photo:Cryptidz.Fandom
The Moehau is a legendary monster in Maori mythology, originating from the central plateau region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is said to be a large, hairy, man-like creature that inhabits the dense forests of the region and is known for its fearsome roar and aggressive behavior.
Description of the Moehau
The Moehau is described in Maori legend as a large, hairy, human-like creature with a fierce appearance. It is said to have long arms that reach down to its knees, and sharp claws on its hands and feet. Its hair is described as dark and shaggy, covering its entire body, and its face is said to be savage and frightening.
The Moehau is typically depicted as being six-seven feet tall, with a powerful build and an intimidating presence. Some legends describe the creature as having a mane of hair around its neck and glowing eyes that can be seen from a distance in the darkness of the forest.
Moehau Sightings
Reports of sightings of the Moehau are rare and mainly come from the central plateau region of the North Island of New Zealand, where the creature is said to inhabit. However, these reports are largely anecdotal and lack concrete evidence.
The sightings are often described as fleeting and difficult to verify, with people claiming to have seen a large, hairy, human-like creature moving quickly through the forest or hearing its distinctive roar echoing through the trees.
The most common evidence of the Moehau is found in the form of footprints.
Rex Gilroy holds up plaster casts of possible Moehau footprints. Photo: Haunted Auckland
In 1903 some very large footprints were found in the Karangahake Gorge in the Coromandel.
In 1971 a trail of huge footprints was discovered on snow-covered ground by a park ranger in the Karangahake Gorge.
In 1983 a man hunting a deer came across fresh footprints near the Heaphy River that appeared to be far larger then a normal human’s.
In 1991 in the Cameron Mountains of the South Island some campers hastily abandoned their camp after finding some unsettlingly large footprints near their site.
Newspaper articles about the Moehau. Photo: Haunted Auckland
Several witnesses report having been attacked or chased by a Moehau. In 1970 some campers in the Coromandel abandoned their camp after a 6ft tall hairy man beast continued to screamed loudly and threw rocks at them.
Just two years later in the same area a hunter watched as a 6ft tall, ape-like creature worked its way through the bush on the other side of the gully. The hunter went to investigate and found large footprints left behind.
An undated report in New Zealand’s Sunday News told of the owner of the Lake Mahinapua Pub on the South Island’s West Coast regularly having his garden raided by a huge man-beast. The Moehau was particularly fond of his silver beet.
Killed by Moehau?
A few early account existed where people were reportedly killed by Moehau. The headless body of a prospector was found in the Martha Mine in 1882 and was blamed on a Moehau. A few years later, not far from the Martha Mine, a woman was dragged from her shack and found dead with a snapped neck a few hundred meters away.
Was the Moehau an Escaped Gorilla?
The theory that the Moehau is an escaped gorilla is a relatively recent and controversial one. It suggests that the creature may have escaped from a zoo or animal park in New Zealand and survived in the wild, leading to reports of sightings and encounters. This theory is based on the idea that the description of the Moehau as a large, hairy, man-like creature with sharp claws and a fearsome appearance is consistent with the physical characteristics of gorillas.
However, this theory is largely speculative and lacks concrete evidence. Gorillas are native to Africa and are not found in the wild in New Zealand, so it is unlikely that one could have escaped and survived in the wild there. Additionally, the forested regions of the central plateau are remote and inhospitable, making it unlikely that an escaped gorilla would be able to thrive there. The majority of experts in the field reject the idea that the Moehau is an escaped gorilla, and it remains a creature of legend and myth in Maori culture.
