Speaker 1: Yeah. Hello, My name's Josephine and this is the Animal
Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.
There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,
with a third premium only story every Friday. Please continue
to share Animal Tales with your friends and leave us
reviews where you can. Joshua is from Derby in England
and he would like a story featuring a Tarannasaurus rex.
You can learn more about these creatures in the animal
facts after the story. Okay, are you ready? That's good,
then I'll begin. Taranasaurus tourist Whoo shouted the t Rex
out of the truck's window. He was driving down a
coastal road on New Zealand's South Island, enjoying the beautiful
landscape and seaview. It was such an amazing place and
he was enjoying every moment of it, but that enjoyment
was suddenly shattered by flashing blue lights in his rear
view mirror. The t Rex obediently pulled over safely to
the side of the road, and the police vehicle pulled
in behind him. A moment later, a female police officer
approached the truck's window Good morning, officer, said the t
rex politely. Um, yes, good morning, said the police officer,
somewhat sternly. We've had reports of an illegal animal being
released into the wild. Oh I'm sorry to hear that,
said the t rex. Is it serious, Oh, yes, said
the police officer. New Zealand is home to many creatures
found nowhere else on planet Earth, including many flightless birds.
We can't allow any animals from outside New Zealand to
threaten them. Quite right, agreed the t rex. So what's
that got to do with me? Exactly? Um, well, you see, sir,
said the officer, stumbling over her words. You're an animal
and you're out in the wild. So I'm afraid it's
you that's the illegal animal. No, that's not right, insisted
the t rex. I'm not an illegal animal that's been released.
I'm a tourist. The name's Joshua, a tourist, repeated the officer.
That's right, said Joshua, the t rex. I'm visiting your
one country. I've always wanted to come, you know, it's
my favorite place in the whole world. So you're not
going to stalk the country side and eat all the animals,
asked the officer. Goodness mean, no, laughed Joshua. I'm just
here to enjoy the scenery. Oh, said the police officer.
Well in that case, you'd best be on your way.
Joshua did just that, but not before shouting nice to
have met you as he went. Joshua had decided to
visit Arthur's Pass National Park, surrounded by amazing snow capped mountains.
He parked his truck outside a pretty lodge where he'd
booked a room, then walked inside. The man behind the
desk spilt his coffee when he saw a t rex
enter the reception area. Oh good, good afternoon, he spluttered
as he brushed at the hot liquid on his trousers.
Good afternoon to you too, smiled Joshua. I have a
reservation under the name Joshua tar Annosaurus. Oh yes, said
the man nervously. We were thinking that was some sort
of joke. A joke, why, asked Joshua innocently. Well, ha,
you see, we don't get many dinosaurs staying with us,
said the receptionist. Well perhaps that will change now I've
been said Joshua. I'm taking lots of photos. I plan
to show everyone I know how great it is. That's nice,
said the man. Look, I have to ask, while you're
staying at the lodge, is there any chance you might
eat some of the staff or other guests. Oh no,
chuckle Joshua. I'm a tourist, so I want to do
all the things a tourist does, and that includes enjoying
the very best for the menu in your restaurant. Oh,
said the receptionist as he handed over a key card. Well,
in that case, welcome to our lodge. Thank you, said Joshua,
and went off to find his room. Joshua was very
keen to experience as much of New Zealand's wonderful sights
as possible, which meant he just had to visit Charleston
Glowworm Caves, and so it was that he found himself
entering a cave entrance along with several other visitors. The
roof of the caves was covered with thousands upon thousands
of glowing strands, each one made by a tiny creature
called Oraknakampa luminosa, the New Zealand glowworm. It was like
staring up into a galaxy full of stars. Excuse me,
said a little girl to Joshua. All the visitors on
the tour were wearing a caving helmet with a light
on the front, although hers were slightly too big and
she kept having to push it up so she could
see properly. Are you a dinosaur? I am nodded Joshua.
I'm a Tyrannosaurus rex. Is this the cave where you live?
Asked the little girl. Oh no, replied Joshua. I'm not
from New Zealand. I'm just visiting. I'm a tourist like you,
so you're not going to eat me and my daddy.
Then she asked, no, laughed Joshua. I'm just here to
see the wonderful glow worm display, just like you are.
That's good, decided the girl. I hope you like it.
Oh I do, grinned Joshua happily. Joshua's next stop was
a night time guided tour to see a very special creature.
He made sure to get then nice and early, and
was met by a very surprised looking tour guide. Yikes,
said the tour guide, unable to help himself, Hello, said
Joshua with a friendly wave of his tiny arm. Are
you what I think you are? Gulped the tour guide.
I am nodded, Joshua, I'm a tourist, Oh, replied the
tour guide. That's not what I thought you were going
to say. Well, it looks like you may be the
only one to night. Shall we get on with it?
The pair of them marched off along a narrow trail
into the darkness, with the tour guide suggesting they be
as quiet as possible. They'd been walking for a few
moments when the tour guide lifted his hand to signal
that he'd seen something over there coming out of the
long grass. He whispered. Joshua looked over eagerly and was
delighted to see the shaggy brown feathers and long whiskers
of a flightless kiwi bird. It was inspecting the ground
with its long beak as it slowly walked forward. Um
can I just ask something? Said the tour guide, looking concerned.
What is it? Asked Joshua. You haven't come on this
tour so you can gobble up the kiwis that we see,
have you? What with you being a Tyrannosaurus rex and all?
Oh no, chortled Joshua. I could never do that. Tyrannosaurs
and birds are pretty much the same thing. Me and
this kiri are practically cousins. That's all right, then, said
the tour guide, looking relieved. Come on, let's see if
we can find another one. Sounds good to me, smiled Joshua.
The t rex had been very keen to see some
of New Zealand's marine life too, but this required him
hiring a kayak. The trouble was nobody had a tyrannosaur
a sized kayak available. In the end, he had to
use a large rowing boat instead, which sat very low
in the water, but it worked, so Joshua was able
to paddle with a group of other tourists around Tonga Island,
part of Abele Tasman National Park. It was an astounding experience,
with them seeing plenty of penguins and even a pair
of dolphins in the first fifteen minutes. However, Joshua soon
realized that one of their tour group, the teenage boy,
was far more interested in him than the creatures of
the sea. Are you enjoying it, Joshua asked the boy politely.
You're a dinosaur, mumbled the boy. Well spotted, said Joshua,
are you like part of the tour? The teenager asked,
I mean like, are you going to suddenly dive into
the water and attack the first seal that we see.
Oh no, said Joshua, visibly horrified at the thought. I've
come to look at the seals just like everyone else.
That's what being a tourist is all about. Oh, said
the teenager. So you're not like going to battle a
mossasaur or something. Goodness me, No, laughed Joshua. That would
scare the seals away. Then we wouldn't see anything, would
we guess? Not, agreed the teenager, appearing to be satisfied.
Oh oh, there are some seals, said Joshua, suddenly pointing
with his oar just above the shoreline. Together they paddled
a little closer to get a better look. Joshua had
been making the very most of his time in New Zealand,
seeing and experiencing as much as he possibly could, but
there was one thing he was still determined to do.
He'd heard of a Maori owned whale watching tour based
in the coastal town of kai Kura. He pulled his
truck up in sight of the sea and headed down
to the tour boat. A Maori woman greeted the big
dinosaur on the dock gazing up at his large head.
You're a big fella, aren't you, she said, I was
hoping to see some whales, said Joshua hopefully. Is there
any way you can fit me on board? The Maori
woman gestured to the whale watching boat beside them. Our
boats are big, she said, I think we can work
something out. So after much pushing and shoving, squeezing and squashing,
Joshua found himself on the top deck of the boat,
being blasted by salty sea spray as the boat raced
across the waves. The Maori tour guide was good enough
to sit with Joshua, telling him how her ancestors had
come to New Zealand on the back of a whale
long ago. What whales will we see? Asked Joshua excitedly.
Every day it's different, she explained, but you won't be disappointed,
and Joshua wasn't. He saw jo and sperm whales, leaping
humpback whales, and best of all, a gigantic blue whale,
the largest animal on the planet. Wow, said Joshua with awe.
It's not often I see a creature that's even bigger
than me. Joshua took lots of photos and was thrilled
to bits by every moment. Did you enjoy that, asked
the tour guide as they headed back to shore. Oh, yes,
beamed Joshua. I have seen so many amazing sights in
New Zealand, but the whale watching just has to be
the most impressive of them all. I'm so glad I've
saved it until last. I'm so pleased to have shared
it with you, grinned the woman. Do you know, said Joshua,
Suddenly you're the first person on this trip who hasn't
asked me if I'm about to eat someone or something?
Is that? So? Smiled the woman back at him. You
just looked like another happy tourus to me. Joshua grinned
at that, because that's exactly what he was. Animal fact,
Tyrannosaurus rex is quite possibly the most well known of
all the dinosaurs. This is despite the fact that we
only have around thirty skeletons and a selection of other
odd bones. T Rex is a North American dinosaur that
was alive at the end of the Cretaceous period, so
right up until the dinosaurs were wiped out by the
asteroid impact. Like other two legged carnivorous dinosaurs. It is
from the group of dinosaurs known as theropods, which is
where birds come from. They were large predators, growing up
to twelve meters that's almost forty feet in length and
standing six meters high that's around twenty feet So would
a t rex eat you if it ran into you?
Quite likely, although you'd be little more than a light snack.
Thank you for your suggestion, Joshua. We hope you enjoyed
the story, and thank you to all of you across
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animal tale. Goodbye,