What animals are in New Zealand? Animals and plants of New Zealand are the unique nature of the country. Why are there no snakes in New Zealand?

New Zealand- the land of green hills and the flightless wonder bird kiwi. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed here, the north is warmer than the south, and the sun goes counterclockwise towards sunset.

1. Hatched. Long-term historical isolation and distance from other continents have created a unique and in many ways inimitable natural world of the New Zealand islands, characterized by a large number of endemic plants and birds. (Photo by Christina Karliczek):

3. Steep cliffs reaching a height of 130 meters. Penguins live here. (Photo by Mark Macewen):

4. Penguin guard. (Photo by Mark MacEwen):

5. Glow worms that attract flying insects into a trap made of sticky threads.

In the limestone caves of the Waitomo region of New Zealand, an amazing phenomenon called the "temptation" of glow worms takes place. In fact, they are a species of fungus gnat found only in a few regions of New Zealand. On the walls and ceilings of caves, these insects form entire galaxies of amazing beauty. (Photo by Alex Hasskerl):

About 1000 years ago, before permanent human settlements appeared on the islands, mammals were historically completely absent. The exceptions were two species of bats and coastal whales, sea lions and fur seals.

Simultaneously with the arrival of the first permanent inhabitants, the Polynesians, to these lands, small rats and dogs appeared on the islands. Later, the first European settlers brought pigs, cows, goats, mice and cats. The development of European settlements in the 19th century caused the appearance of more and more new species of animals in New Zealand.

The appearance of some of them had an extremely negative impact on the flora and fauna of the islands. Such animals include rats, cats, ferrets, rabbits (brought into the country to develop hunting), as well as stoats (brought into the country to control the rabbit population).

6. Ermine. (Photo by Nick Easton):

7. New Zealand's terrain is mainly hills and mountains. More than 75% of the country's territory lies at an altitude of more than 200 m above sea level. Most of the North Island's mountains are no higher than 1,800 m. 19 South Island peaks are above 3,000 m. (Photo by Colin Pilliner):

8. It's him! Of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds, which have become national symbol countries.

Presumably, the ancestors of modern kiwi came to New Zealand from Australasia about 30 million years ago. These flightless birds, about the size of a regular chicken, are so different from other birds that zoologist William Calder called them "honorary mammals." (Photo by Screen Grab):

9. New Zealand is located on two large islands (North and South) and a large number (approximately 700) surrounding smaller islands. The population, according to Statistics New Zealand as of June 2015, is 4,596,700. (Photo by Colin Pilliner):

10. Another local resident. This is a hatteria. It lives on several small islands in New Zealand. Hatteria is an endangered relict species and must be protected. It is included in the IUCN Red List and currently has the protected status of a vulnerable species. (Photo by Claire Thompson):

11. There are 129 geothermal areas in New Zealand. This Champagne Pool hot spring is located in the Waiotapu geothermal area on the North Island of New Zealand. The name "Champagne Pool" comes from the constant flow of carbon dioxide, similar to champagne bubbling in a glass. The vibrant colors of the amazing geothermal spring come from rich deposits of minerals and silicates. The age of the source is 900 years. (Photo by Nick Easton):

12. Native Gray Fantail. One of the smallest and most agile birds in New Zealand. (Photo by Tom Walker):

13. New Zealand is one of the most recently populated territories. Different kinds analyzes suggest that the first eastern Polynesians settled here in the years 1250-1300 after extensive travel through the South Pacific islands. (Photo by Paul Furborough):

14. Sea lions in New Zealand are among the rarest species. (Photo by Christina Karliczek):

15. Reflections of New Zealand autumn. (Photo by Kevin Jeffries):

16. Kakapo, or owl parrot, is a nocturnal, flightless bird endemic to New Zealand. Possibly one of the oldest living bird species. (Photo by Holly Wallace):

17. These flowers are one of the highest living buttercups in the world (over 1500 meters high). Bloom in summer time. New Zealand's flora includes about 2,000 plant species. (Photo by BBC Pictures):

18. Weta is the collective name for more than 100 species found in New Zealand. This particular species measures 3.6 cm and is very creative in escaping from predators - it jumps into the water and sits there for up to 5 minutes until the predator loses interest in it. (Photo by Nick Easton):

19. Terrible predator. Predatory and able to smell their prey in the forests, these snails feed mainly on earthworms. (Photo by James Reardon):

20. There are 3280 lakes in New Zealand. This is one of the few countries in the southern hemisphere that has glaciers on its territory (Tasmanian, Fox, Franz Josef, etc.). (Photo by Lorenzo Montezemolo):

21. Only in New Zealand are the remains of the giant flightless moa birds, which reached a height of 3.5 m, exterminated about 500 years ago. (Photo by Nick Easton):

22. Despite the fact that filming began in New Zealand back in the 1920s, the film industry began to actively develop only in the seventies of the same century. The trilogies “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit”, the films “The Last Samurai”, “The Chronicles of Narnia” became especially famous. (Photo by Nick Easton):

23. That's all for today.

New Zealand is a country of forests and meadows. At the dawn of colonization, much of its territory, especially in the North Island, was covered with dense evergreen forests. European settlers gradually changed the appearance of the New Zealand landscape, and arable land took the place of primeval forests. Nowadays, the latter have been preserved only in the most inaccessible mountainous areas of the country. These forests are very unique. Most plant species, approximately 3D, as in Australia, are endemic, that is, unique to New Zealand, and do not occur naturally in any other parts of the globe. One of the most famous and interesting species is the Kauri pines. These are huge centuries-old trees, reaching a height of 40 or even 60 m, with a trunk diameter of up to 3 m. The wood of these pines is a beautiful construction material. During the period of colonization of the islands, pine forests were severely exterminated and are now found in the form of small groves only on the Auckland Peninsula. In the southern and eastern parts of Severny Island and mainly on Yuzhny Island, on the slopes mountain ranges , there are still tracts of forests consisting of local species: totara, matai, rimu, kahikatea, etc. Their wood is used for building houses, making furniture, containers for exporting butter, cheese and other purposes. Ferns are widespread and ubiquitous. Tree-like forms, with a height of 8 to 14 m, form a dense undergrowth; lower ones, together with mosses and mosses, cover the soil, and creeping forms of ferns climb the straight and smooth trunks of tall trees far up. An interesting and peculiar plant of New Zealand forests is the epiphyte rata tree. It has very small seeds that often take root and germinate on the branches of other trees. There, the rata develop as long as there is a sufficient supply of nutrients, after which they begin to produce aerial roots. When the latter reach the soil, they quickly germinate and soon take on the character of tall and thick tree trunks. With their branches they tightly wrap themselves around the tree on which they originated, often oppressing and strangling it. In some places, the rata have developed so much that they have almost completely suppressed and displaced all other tree species. In addition to rata, in the forests of New Zealand there are many other epiphytes and vines, which, spreading from tree to tree, make these forests completely impenetrable. Some of them have flexible shoots, only a finger thick, but resistant to knife, while others, such as the New Zealand blackberry, are covered with long, prickly thorns. Palm trees are also common among forest species. As a rule, they do not have high trunks and almost directly from the ground throw out multi-meter feathery leaves, mounted on long chocolate-colored velvety cuttings. They are very decorative and beautiful, but in their appearance they differ sharply from the palm trees of the northern hemisphere. However, New Zealand's forests are quite monotonous. In their thicket it is almost always quiet and dead. There are no colorful bright flowers, no animals are visible, and only rare butterflies and European birds somewhat enliven their austere and gloomy appearance. Large, undisturbed woodlands lie on the western slopes of the Southern Alps. In the lower part they consist of the already familiar totaru, kahikatea, rimu, araucaria and have a dense undergrowth mainly of tree ferns. Epiphytes, lianas and mosses are widespread here. Higher up the slopes, these impenetrable thickets are replaced by forests of evergreen beech, and upon reaching 1500 m by trees that shed their leaves for the winter. Even higher is a belt of bushes, then a forest of dwarf trees and, finally, peaks free of snow and ice, covered with tall grass alpine meadows, where colorful flowers can be seen in bright spots among the emerald green grass. There are especially many colorful daisies and snow-white edelweiss there. On lonely rocky peaks and cliffs in the highest mountain zone, plants typical for these places are found. They creep low on the ground and have the appearance of pillows, the diameter of which reaches 34 m. In New Zealand they are often called plant sheep. The eastern slopes of the Southern Alps are quite different in the appearance of their vegetation from the western ones. There is less moisture there, and the temperature difference between winter and summer is greater, so the middle parts of the slopes are dominated by shrubs, while the lower parts are occupied by dense thickets of tall and tough tassek grass. In river valleys or on the edges of swampy forests, you can often find dracaena, an endemic plant of New Zealand. In appearance it looks like a palm tree. On a tall trunk, long, hard, shiny leaves fan out in different directions. Dracaena is not only a beautiful ornamental tree that gives the surrounding landscape a palm-like character. When processed, high-quality paper is obtained from its leaves, thread and twine from fibers, and a tasty drink from the roots. New Zealand's native tree species have a range of characteristics. Firstly, they are characterized by extremely slow growth, secondly, they have a shallow root system that goes deep into the soil and therefore are easily pulled out of the ground during strong winds and storms, and thirdly, they are very hard and durable, but difficult to process wood. In addition, as already indicated, most of the forests have been severely destroyed - cut down and burned. Revegetation occurs mainly through the introduction of species brought from different parts of the globe. Already at the end of the last century, artificial forest plantations began to be created in New Zealand. Australian eucalyptus and acacia trees, redwoods,

Iikau palms on the shore of aa willow Akaroa (South Island)

View of a typical New Zealand subtropical forest of cypress and pine trees from North America , poplars, birches, pines, oaks and other species from European countries. In 1951, the total area occupied by forests was 6,356 thousand hectares, or 23.9% of the entire territory of the country, of which 183.6 thousand hectares were occupied by artificial forest plantations. Of the native, non-woody plants, New Zealand flax is of industrial importance. In its natural state it is distributed in the Westland and Southland provinces of the South Island, and 3/s of specially cultivated flax is grown in the North Island, around Auckland. New Zealand flax is a perennial herbaceous plant with a thick rhizome, from which numerous long (up to 23 m) sword-shaped leaves extend in a fan shape. In appearance it is very similar to iris. From the leaves of this plant you can obtain a strong and durable fiber that is superior in quality to the famous Manila hemp. At the beginning of this century, New Zealand flax was still widely cultivated on both islands and constituted one of the country's exports. Currently, due to competition from Manila hemp and other strong-fiber crops that are easier to machine, New Zealand flax crops have sharply decreased. This plant is most widely used by the indigenous Maori people. Fresh, just cut leaves replace paper. Using a sharp shell, the islanders scratch letters on the glossy and strong surface of the sheet. Cut into strips, it replaces twine and ropes; It is used to weave mats and baskets, obtain fiber and make clothing. All cultivated fruit, grain, garden plants, as well as specially sown grasses, were brought to New Zealand from Europe, mainly from England. Even in the not very distant historical past, the fauna of the islands, like the flora, was very unique and unusual. However, most of the local animals and birds were exterminated during the period of colonization and are now almost completely replaced by new species brought from Europe. A distinctive feature of the fauna of the islands was that it was very poor in mammals. The Polynesians brought black rats and dogs with them to New Zealand, and later several species of bats were introduced. Hares, rabbits, deer, roe deer and others appeared there along with European settlers. As in Australia, the world of birds was richer, among which, which was also a feature of New Zealand, flightless birds predominated. Some of them, such as moa, which reached 4 m in height, have long been exterminated. In the deep forests of the South Island you can still find kiwis, small running birds. They have almost no wings at all, but they are strong and strong legs . The body of these birds is covered with long, hair-like feathers, reminiscent of the fur of mammals. Flightless but fast-running birds include Maori rails, which are still quite widespread on both islands. Parrots are especially numerous in New Zealand. The two most interesting species are the poorly flying owl parrot, the kakapo, and the kea. Kakapo has already been almost exterminated and is found, except in zoos and nature reserves, only in the most remote valleys of the Southern Alps. It lives either in deep hollows or in rocky caves. During the day he rarely appears in the forest and only at nightfall he goes in search of food. Since the development of sheep farming in New Zealand, the kea parrot has become a harmful predator. With its strong and sharp beak, it pecks the lower back of sheep to get to the kidney fat, which is a delicacy for it. This parrot causes great harm to sheep herds, and cattle farmers are constantly fighting against it. Many European birds have acclimatized well in New Zealand: starlings, sparrows, robins, mountain song thrushes, larks and others, which enliven the gloomy and quiet forests with their singing and trills. Many migratory birds from the Northern Hemisphere also winter there. There are no poisonous snakes, and in general reptiles are extremely poorly represented. Among them, the lizard Hatteria, or tutara (Maori name), is especially interesting. This is a representative of prehistoric forms of animals that have long since become extinct in all other parts of the globe. In the structure of its body, this lizard has many primitive features characteristic of ancient, lower-organized reptiles. On the large islands of New Zealand, tuataria have been almost completely exterminated. They began to be protected only about 30 years ago. Over the past five years, the tuataria kept in the terrarium in Wellington have laid eggs twice, from which young animals have hatched. Live tuataria were sent to the California Academy of Sciences, as well as to the Zurich and Washington National Park zoos. Under the influence of humans, the primitive animal world of New Zealand, like the plant world, has undergone great changes. The settlers brought with them many types of European animals and primarily domestic animals: sheep, cattle, goats, horses, pigs, and poultry. Some of them, such as rabbits, goats and pigs, have become somewhat feral. Currently, they live in forests and are hunted. There is a particularly big struggle with rabbits. The latter multiplied very quickly and, eating a lot of grass, devastate and spoil the sheep pastures.

21.01.2015 23:45

The flora and fauna of New Zealand are diverse and unique, because due to its isolation from the rest of the world, geographical location and climate, species of flora and fauna have been preserved here that do not live anywhere else - they are called endemics. When New Zealand is presented in photographs, they usually illustrate animals and plants that are unknown to many.

Even before humans appeared on these shores, the only mammals here were bats, whales, sea lions and seals in coastal waters. New Zealand geography textbooks also associate the history of the discovery with the appearance on these islands of animals such as Polynesian rats, dogs, then cows, pigs, goats, cats and even mice were introduced. With almost every wave of immigration, new ones appeared in the country. animals on the verge of extinction, but some of them have harmed New Zealand's natural fauna. Cats, rabbits, ferrets, stoats, possums, which had no enemies in the fauna of the islands, multiplied so quickly that they began to threaten both agriculture and human health. Therefore, today the policy of environmental authorities is aimed at preserving the natural fauna of the islands.

The livestock population remains quite large, which allows the country to be the largest exporter of dairy products. Almost the best sheep in the world are raised in environmentally friendly conditions, which are used not only to produce meat, but also to produce lanolin from their wool, as well as to make yarn for the amazingly soft carpets of New Zealand.

But usually New Zealand is depicted in pictures with the help of the kiwi bird, as well as kea, kakapo, and takahe. There are absolutely no snakes in this country. Among reptiles, the most famous are the hatteria and skink. Of the poisonous spiders, only the katipo lives in New Zealand. However, the well-known hedgehog also lives here, but it has nevertheless adapted to local conditions.

The flora can also be characterized as predominantly endemic. In photographs of New Zealand you can see two types of forests: evergreen and mixed. The main forest plants are legworts, agathis, cypress dacridum, as well as a large number of ferns. 2 million hectares are artificial forests where you can see radiata pine. Also, the flora of New Zealand has the largest number of mosses; half of the more than 600 species grow only here. More than 180 species of herbs alone can be found here, while about 150 of them do not grow anywhere else.

But tourists should remember that in New Zealand at customs they will definitely inspect things for images of animals and plants, items made of bone, bird feathers, leather, as well as corals and shells - all this is prohibited from being exported. Therefore, if a visitor wants to preserve his impressions or take away souvenirs, it is better to take pictures depicting all the rare and amazing plants and animals. And it’s even better to take pictures against their background, in multinational parks where the best specimens of New Zealand’s flora and fauna are collected and preserved.

Before the arrival of people in New Zealand, these islands were an untouched corner of botanical and geological antiquities, filled with the sound of waterfalls and wind. is an isolated archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. The nearest landmass is 1,600 kilometers away. Thanks to its isolation, a unique ecosystem has developed here, dating back to the times of Gondwana. New Zealand's pristine world is well preserved. In New Zealand you can still find species of fauna that have disappeared in other parts of the world.

On the islands, full of natural antiquities and not in contact with the outside world, birds ruled the roost. For birds, this island was a paradise, where there were no natural enemies such as snakes or carnivorous mammals.

Flightless bird takahe declared extinct in 1930, but several individuals were later discovered. Takahe lived in places where they had no natural enemies, and food was not difficult to approach. The birds no longer needed to fly - their wings degenerated and turned into rudiments. For the same reason, many other birds in New Zealand cannot fly.

The turning point for the bird world was the arrival of man. The Maori arrived here about a thousand years ago. These Polynesian explorers crossed the Pacific Ocean in search of new land to settle.

The first victims of the arriving people were large and unable to fly moa. People needed food, and large birds were running around. The meat of a large moa could feed about 50 people. In terms of volume, one moa egg was equal to 40 chicken eggs. On one leg of this bird there was as much meat as can be removed from a whole horse. The moas reached three meters in height, but these birds are no longer left. Moas lived in New Zealand for 80 million years, but due to human intervention they disappeared from the face of the earth within a few centuries.

After the arrival of Europeans, the situation only worsened. White settlers began to hunt, bringing with them dogs, rats, martens and other predators previously unknown to the local inhabitants. Many birds disappeared because their habitat was destroyed as settlers cut down and burned forests to make way for farms.

Mountain kea parrots, living in these parts are the only carnivorous parrots. They were once widespread, but were hunted down by sheep owners because they harmed livestock. Now these birds are endangered. These days, instead of harming sheep, kea play with tourists.

Before the arrival of people, New Zealand developed according to the laws of nature: animals sought a better habitat, multiplied and adapted to life in New Zealand. Each creature found a niche for itself in the vast ecosystem of the islands. Unfortunately, human greed has prevailed over the laws of nature. With the growth of settlements, a crisis arose in the isolated ecosystem and dramatic changes began.

Tuatara- an animal that has existed since the time of dinosaurs, the world's oldest reptile. Sometimes it is called a living fossil. Throughout its existence, the tuatara has remained almost unchanged. In all other places, tuatara disappeared, becoming food for mammals. However, in New Zealand, where there were no mammalian predators for a long time, these animals survived. Adults reach 24 centimeters in length. Tuatara live more than a hundred years. The female lays an egg once every 4 years, this is due to the low reproduction rate.

Seals. Once these sea animals lived here in hundreds of thousands, but settlers appeared and brought them almost to complete extinction. Many of them still die when they get caught in fishing nets. But now, fortunately, they are under the protection of the country’s government and, according to the latest census, their number has reached 50 thousand and continues to increase. New Zealand seals can dive deeper than any other species. A diving depth record of 240 meters was recorded. They feed mainly at night, when their favorite dish, squid, floats to the surface. And during the day they rest on the rocky shores in entire colonies.

Acne. Unfortunately, their habitat area, and therefore their number, is constantly declining. Male eels can live up to 24 years, and females on average up to 35. But females that spawn sometimes live up to 75 years, which is quite common. After the eggs are laid, they swim away from here and swim far across the ocean to the Fiji archipelago, because they can only lay eggs in warm waters. For this they swim up to 3 thousand kilometers. Over the past 30 years, the number of eels has declined catastrophically, mainly due to humans taking over their traditional habitats and blocking rivers with dams. They are also caught quite a lot because they are considered exotic food. The Maori love them very much when smoked, and the Japanese pay a lot of money for them.

The uniqueness of New Zealand's natural and animal world, rich in endemic plants and birds, is due to its remoteness from other lands and long-term historical isolation over 60-80 million years. Approximately one thousand years ago, the mammals that existed in New Zealand were:

• sea ​​lions and seals;
• whales;
• several species of bats.

Land development

With the advent of man, rats and dogs appeared on the islands. A little later, pigs, goats, cows, cats and mice were introduced. The active formation of European settlements in the 19th century provoked the emergence of new animal species.

New Zealand is home to two types of endemic mammals, which are descended from rare species of bats. Among the most unique and popular are:

• kiwi bird;
• the world's largest parrot, the kakapo;
• one of the oldest reptiles - the tuatara;
• the only kea.

The most devastating effects on New Zealand's plants and animals were caused by the introduction of rats, rabbits and opossums.

Kiwi

The fauna of the islands is exceptional and unique. For example, the symbol of New Zealand - the kiwi - is positioned as a bird, although it cannot even fly, it does not have full wings.

Representatives of the wingless genus do not have feathers, instead they grow hair, and they also have very powerful paws, with the help of which these creatures walk and run. Kiwi is a nocturnal animal. The main enemies are birds (falcons and eagles). Kiwis developed the ability to hide in forests or bushes and be nocturnal, which reduced the likelihood of being eaten by other animals. They are very aggressive. It is noteworthy that kiwis do not defend themselves with their beaks, like birds, but use their sharp claws. There are five types of kiwi in total.

What other animals are there?

Kakapo is a single representative of the subfamily of owl parrots. He has very highly developed facial plumage, so he is similar to owls. The parrot's feathers are green with black stripes on the back.

The kakapo has excellent wings, but due to the fact that the keel of the sternum is practically undeveloped and the muscles are very weak, it cannot fly. These endemics used to be widespread in New Zealand, but now remain only in the southwestern part of the South Island. The parrot lives in forests and areas with high humidity. The kakapo is the only parrot that is predominantly nocturnal or crepuscular. During the daytime, it hides in burrows or rock crevices.

Reptiles

Tuatara is a unique animal of New Zealand, a descendant of dinosaurs. It is protected at the legislative level, and the government is trying to prevent the extinction of the population, since there are only one hundred thousand reptiles left.

They have a lot of enemies, including themselves (male tuatara are considered cannibals and can eat eggs and young offspring). They are also attacked by birds and other predators. Among tuatara, mortality exceeds birth rate. Reproduction of offspring requires a long period. Reptiles live up to about a hundred years. Tuatara's favorite food is insects.

What other animals live in New Zealand

The stoat was introduced to the country to control the rabbit population. But the animal successfully acclimatized and began to reproduce very intensively, which led to an increase in the population. Thus, the ermine turned from a helper into a pest, which began to destroy the chicks and eggs of local birds. This animal is a predator, has 34 sharp teeth and paws with tenacious claws. The animals are very agile and crawl well through trees. The stoat eats small rodents and birds.

Kangaroo

They move by jumping. A distinctive feature of this species is that the cubs are formed in the mother's pouch, which is located on the stomach. Kangaroos have powerful hind legs that help them jump, and a long tail that helps them maintain balance. Kangaroos have long ears and short, soft fur. These New Zealand animals prefer nocturnal life and live in groups of several individuals. Many kangaroo species are on the verge of extinction.

New Zealand skinks

There are three types of skinks: otago, sutera and greater skink. Otago is a giant among endemic lizards and reaches 30 cm in length. Skinks breed every year. The offspring is usually 3-6 cubs.

Skinks have greenish-yellow skin with stripes that provide excellent camouflage in rocky, lichen-covered environments. Lizards feed on insects and plant fruits. They can often be seen on rocks, where they bask in the sun. The number of large skinks alone, according to the Ministry of Nature Conservation, is 2-3 thousand individuals.

New Zealand fur seal

The fur seal belongs to the species of eared seals. Their fur is grayish-brown in color. Males have a luxurious black mane. The height of males is approximately 2 m 50 cm, and their weight can reach up to 180 kg. Females are much smaller than males: their height does not exceed 150 cm, and they weigh half as much as the males. Fur seals are animals of New Zealand that live throughout the ocean, primarily on the ocean. It is inhabited year-round by young males who are not yet able to conquer their own territories. At the end of the 19th century, large populations of fur seals were almost completely exterminated. Currently, the animals are listed in the Red Book; there are approximately 35 thousand of them.

New Zealand sea lion

The animal is brown-black in color. Males have a mane that covers their shoulders, which makes them appear larger and more powerful. Females are much smaller than males, their fur is light gray. Ninety-five percent of the fur seal population is found on Auckland Island. Each male defends its own territory from other males. In battles, the most resilient and strongest representative wins. There are approximately 10-15 thousand individuals of this species.

Almost all species of animals are under state protection. Animals of New Zealand (you can see the photo in the article), which cannot survive on their own, live in 14 national parks and hundreds of small reserves under the constant supervision of specialists. The unimaginable beauty and uniqueness of the local flora and fauna attracts millions of tourists from all over the world.