Sea Urchins
How many of us have one or two green kina shells hanging around at home with their pretty spots and segmented surface they make great decoration pieces, but did you know
Sea Urchins, Kina or Sea Eggs are common in the waters around New Zealand. About 70 different species can be found with most living in the deep water while around 11 species can be found at depths of 12-14 meters.
These spherical shaped creatures covered in long and short movable spines resembling an underwater hedgehog have a mouth on the underside with a 5-sided limy structure called Aristotle’s Lantern which acts like a set of jaws grinding up food into digestible pellets.
Kina are omnivorous but prefer to feed on large brown seaweeds and kelp, large groups can eat out whole seaweed sites leaving the area barren. They are male and female, but it is difficult to tell them apart until they are cracked open. Undisturbed a kina can live for as long as 20 years.
Kina have been a traditional part of the Maori diet since before pre-European settlement.
The roe of the kina is considered a delicacy to many people and can be eaten raw straight from the shell or served as sushi or “uni” and depending on how it is prepared are low in calories, fat and quite high in protein. The flavour has been described as combination of creamy, sweet, sour salty and bitter.
When harvesting kina take care they are spiky!! Gloves are recommended.
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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82.6% Same!
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17.4% Would have liked to try something different
Leisure Time POP
we spent Friday night camped at Bobs Leisure Time POP near Glenbrook, grandson loved especially when the train went past all lit up - just watch out for your ears when the engine whistle blows 🙂
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