Police have recovered what's believed to be a 23-million-year-old whale fossil after a group of people controversially removed it from a West Coast beach.
The cliff face at Little Wanganui River north of Westport used to be home to what locals called the "monster in the rock" until three people took to the fossils with a rock-saw across a two-day operation over Labour weekend.
A police spokesperson said the fossils were recovered on Monday morning following a search of a Granity property.
Enquires into the removal of the fossil are ongoing and no charges have been laid at this stage, the spokesperson added.
"Police will continue to work with our partner agencies and iwi to return the taonga to the local Karamea community."
The removal of the fossil left some West Coast locals "rattled" at the time of the removal.
Tom Horncastle told Newshub the fossil "shouldn't be touched" and wanted it returned to his community.
