New Zealand Nature & Culture

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main islands, the North Island and the South Island. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, The Land of the Long White Cloud. North Island is known among the Māori as Te Ika a Māui (the fish of Māui) and the South Island as Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of greenstone) or Te Waka o Aoraki (the canoe of Aoraki).

The Māori The Māori are the indigeneous people of Aoteraoa

Māori Culture Māori Marae

Poi – Fire Dancing

Picturesque sights

Wild Life Kakapo

The Kakapo, also called owl parrot, is a species of nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand. It has finely blotched yellow-green plumage, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and wings and a tail of relatively short length. A certain combination of traits makes it unique among its kindit is the world's only flightless parrot, the heaviest, nocturnal parrot. Kakapo are critically endangered; as of March 2009, only 111 living individuals are known. The conservation of the Kakapo has made the species well known. Many books and documentaries detailing the plight of the Kakapo have been produced in recent years.

Kiwi

A kiwi is any of the species of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. All kiwi species are endangered. The kiwi is also a national symbol of New Zealand. Kiwi are shy and usually nocturnal. Their mostly nocturnal habits may be a result of habitat intrusion by predators, including humans. Kiwi have a highly developed sense of smell, unusual in a bird. Once bonded, a male and female kiwi tend to live their entire lives as a monogamous couple.

Kea

The Kea is a species of parrot found in forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. Kea are legendary for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Studies have shown Kea to be able to solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, as well as working in teams to achieve a certain objective. Most people only encounter wild Kea at South Island ski areas. The Kea are attracted by the prospect of food scraps from human habitation. Their curiosity leads them to peck and carry away unguarded items of clothing, or to pry apart rubber parts of cars - to the entertainment and annoyance of human observers. They are often described as "cheeky".

Kaka parrots

Takahe The Takahē is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand. The adult Takahē is mainly purple-blue in colour, with a greenish back and inner wings. It has a red frontal shield and red-based pink bill.

Weta

Many weta are large by insect standards and some species are among the largest and heaviest in the world. Many are wingless. By virtue of their ability to cope with variations in temperature, weta can be found in a variety of environments including alpine, forests, grasslands, caves, shrub lands and urban gardens. They are nocturnal and all New Zealand species are flightless. Different species have different diets. Weta can bite with powerful mandibles. Tree weta bites are painful but not particularly common. Weta can inflict painful scratches but their defence displays consist of looking large and spiky, and they will retreat if given a chance.

Katipo

Haasts Eagle Moa