New Zealand Natural History Part 2 Flora and Fauna Tourguiding.wordpress.com Hillary Jenkins, Otago Polytechnic 2008

IMPORTANT… Images you are about to see are some of our special places and their inhabitants many of which are ENDEMIC to New Zealand - Features forming New Zealand’s National Parks and the UNESCO World Heritage Status - Features which contribute to a booming tourism industry

Before humans… The New Zealand islands looked very different than today No mammals except a couple of bat species and the NZ Fur seal An abundance of birds, many flightless Large forested areas of prehistoric trees throughout the country

The New Zealand islands looked very different than today

No mammals except a couple of bat species and the NZ Fur seal

An abundance of birds, many flightless

Large forested areas of prehistoric trees throughout the country

Let’s take a closer look at the climate zones and at some of the native plants and animals that live there today

The Alpine Zone Glaciers Braided rivers Wide open valleys Ice covered mountains

Aoraki Mount Cook

Mountains & Alpine Valleys Tussock grasses grow here

600 species of Alpine Plants 93 % found only in New Zealand

Mount Cook Buttercup- the world’s largest buttercup

Daisies and Spaniards specially adapted for survival

Miniature brooms

More buttercups, daisies and bristly carrots

Flightless Takahe lives in Alpine tussock (One known population left in the wild) ‏

Kea - Worlds only Alpine Parrot (only in the South Island of New Zealand) ‏

Invertebrates – food for birds

The Temperate Forests

Podocarp Forests Totara Kahikatea Matai Rimu Miro A few precious remnants left

Podocarp Forests

Totara

Kahikatea

Matai

Rimu

Miro

A few precious remnants left

Beech Forests Sliver Red Mountain Black www.flickr.com/photos/33495997@N00/402696291/sizes/m/

Kiwi!? http://www.flickr.com/photos/76074333@N00/281832147/sizes/m/

Karearea - New Zealand Falcon

NZ Robin and giant native worm

Tieke - Saddleback

Kereru – New Zealand Wood Pigeon

Rare Flightless Parrot Kakapo 86 (+ about 5 new babies this year) left in the world

Harakeke – New Zealand Flax an amazing resource

Piwakawaka (Fantail) and Tui http://www.flickr.com/photos/8611584@N06/2067358292/sizes/s/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbinns/2036385629/sizes/m /

The Subtropical Forest

Dense lush warm forest full of diversity

Ancient Ferns- from 100million years ago 200 species, 40 endemic to New Zealand

More ferns, orchids & mosses Koru

Nikau Palm New Zealand’s only true Palm species

Kauri - Tane Mahuta our biggest tree http://www.flickr.com/photos/sassygagliardi/440514174/sizes/m /

The Coastal Zone Sand Dunes Estuaries Salt Marshes Headlands

Cormorants on a West Coast Beach

Coastal Flowering Hebe

Penguins and NZ Fur Seals www.flickr.com/photos/littlebluepenguin/357091278/sizes/m/ www.flickr.com/photos/flissphil/232405333/sizes/m/

Today… Threats from introduced predators such as possum, rabbit, stoat, cat , dog & rats Threats from development and industry Tremendous work being done by DOC and community groups on habitat restoration, species protection & pest control

Threats from introduced predators such as possum, rabbit, stoat, cat , dog & rats

Threats from development and industry

Tremendous work being done by DOC and community groups on habitat restoration, species protection & pest control

Further reading Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest by John Dawson and Rob Lucas New Zealand Alpine Plants by J T Salmon Field Guide to Birds of New Zealand by Heather, B and Robertson, H www.doc.govt.nz Native Plants Photo’s by Nicky Snoyink (otherwise stated) ‏