The unusual nature of New Zealand (24 photos). New Zealand attractions. Nature. Islands. Photo and video
21.01.2015 23:45
vegetable and animal world New Zealand is diverse and unique, because due to its isolation from the rest of the world, geographic location and climate, species of flora and fauna are preserved here, which do not live anywhere else - they are called endemics. When they represent New Zealand in photographs, they usually illustrate precisely such animals and plants that are unknown to many.
Even before the appearance of man on these shores, from mammals there were only bats, whales, sea lions and seals in coastal waters. Textbooks on the geography of New Zealand 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 in the country, new animals on the brink of extinction, but some of them have harmed the natural fauna of New Zealand. Cats, rabbits, ferrets, stoats, possums, which had no enemies in the animal world of the islands, multiplied so quickly that they began to threaten both agriculture and human health. Therefore, even today the policy of environmental authorities is aimed at preserving the natural fauna of the islands.
The number of livestock remains quite extensive, which allows the country to be the largest exporter of dairy products. Some of the best sheep in the world are grown in ecologically clean conditions, which serve not only for meat production, but also for the production of lanolin from their wool, as well as for making yarn for surprisingly soft New Zealand carpets.
But usually New Zealand is depicted in pictures with the help of a kiwi bird, as well as kea, kakapo, takahe. There are absolutely no snakes in this country. Among the reptiles, the most famous are the tuatara and the skink. Of the poisonous spiders in New Zealand, only the katipō lives. Nevertheless, the well-known hedgehog lives here, which nevertheless adapted to local conditions.
The flora can also be characterized as predominantly endemic. Two types of forests can be seen in photographs of New Zealand: evergreen and mixed. The main forest plants are foot-fruits, agathis, cypress dacridum, as well as a large number of ferns. 2 million hectares are artificial forests where you can see the radiant pine. Also the flora of New Zealand is different nai big amount mosses, half of the more than 600 species grows only here. There are more than 180 species of herbs alone, and 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, products made of bone, bird feathers, leather, as well as corals and shells - all this is prohibited to be exported. Therefore, if a visitor wants to keep his impressions or take out souvenirs, it is better to take pictures depicting all the rare and amazing plants and animals. Better yet, take a picture against their background, in multinational parks, where the best specimens of the flora and fauna of New Zealand are collected and preserved.
State New Zealand located mainly on the South and North Islands, separated by the Cook Strait, also includes territorially about 700 small islands, including uninhabited in central area Polynesian triangle.
Geographic characteristics
The state covers an area of 268,680 square kilometers, and the length coastline is more than 15 thousand kilometers. The largest is the South Island, where a quarter of the country's population lives.
According to the latest data, more than 4.5 million people live in the state, and most of them are Caucasians of various nationalities.
Nature
Deserving the most attention Mountain peaks Alps, among which the highest is Mount Cook, which has the official name of Aoraki. In addition to it, on the territory of the South Island alone there are 18 large peaks with a height of more than 3 thousand meters.
The highest point on the North Island is the Ruapehu volcano, which is this moment is active, and reaches a height of 2797 meters. The North Island itself is less densely populated, and has 5 of New Zealand's 6 dangerous volcanic zones within its territory...
New Zealand has a large number of lakes and rivers, large and small, there are more than 3 thousand lakes. The largest lake in size, the state is located in the central part north island and is called Taupo, a mirror area of 616 km 2, there is a lake in the caldera of an extinct volcano.
It is from Lake Taupo that the Waikato River originates - the longest river in the country with a length of 425 km ...
From the west, Zealand is washed by the Tasman Sea, which separates it from Australia, and in the East, the coast goes around the Pacific Ocean, connecting their waters with the Cook Strait. The territorial waters of the state are 12 nautical miles, which exceeds the territory of the land of New Zealand. In the ocean near the main islands there are many small land formations, most of which are completely unsuitable for human habitation ...
The flora of the state includes approximately 2,000 varieties of plants, and forests are represented on the territory of the islands, both subtropical and evergreen. Recently, green spaces have been greatly reduced, since the industrial development of New Zealand's land uses quite actively the country's natural resources. It is necessary to restore clearings with the help of artificial plantings.
The natural fauna of New Zealand is unique and full of unique species of rodents and birds. Until recently, mammals were completely absent on the territory of these islands, and appeared only along with the process of development of these lands by the colonialists. The sea is rich in fish, and has up to 3 thousand species...
The North Island has a subtropical climate, which gradually becomes temperate towards the South Island. The mountain ranges are characterized by a rather harsh and cold alpine climate, and the mountains themselves cover the territory of the South Island from warm western winds...
Resources
There are quite a lot of gas and oil deposits on the territory of the state, as well as reserves of gold and coal. Silver and iron sandstone can be found in some places. The country is rich in deposits of natural metals, lime resources and other minerals. However, the number of minerals is not large enough to become the basis for the country's economic development...
In New Zealand, thanks to good climatic conditions agriculture is well developed, as well as the food industry and tourism. They are the main source of income for the state budget. The country actively cooperates with the largest states of the world, exporting its products there.
culture
The country speaks two languages - Maori and English. It is English that is used for everyday communication and business meetings, but Maori is officially recognized as the second state language, and the policy is aimed at increasing its significance for the people of New Zealand in order to preserve the Polynesian culture.
Quite frequent interracial and interethnic marriages take place on the territory of the country, which forms in the state a fairly loyal attitude towards the traditions of various peoples. Europeans make up 75% here, and Maori - 14.7%. Other nationalities are represented by smaller communities. Most people adhere to Christianity, although there are quite a large number of other religions ...
New Zealand is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean in the Polynesian Triangle in the Central Region of the Water Hemisphere. The main territory of the country is made up of two islands with corresponding names - the South Island and the North Island. The South and North Islands are separated by the Cook Strait. In addition to the two main islands of New Zealand, there are about 700 islands of a much smaller area, most of which are uninhabited.
The largest of these are Stewart Island, the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Island, the Bounty Islands, the Campbell Islands, the Chatham Archipelago and Kermadec Island. total area country is 268,680 km2. This makes it slightly smaller than Italy or Japan, but somewhat larger than the UK. The coastline of New Zealand is 15,134 kilometers long.
South Island - largest island New Zealand, its area is 151,215 km2. About one-fourth of the country's population lives on the island. A ridge runs along the island from north to south. folded mountains Southern Alps, whose highest peak is Mount Cook, other official name- Aoraki) with a height of 3754 meters. In addition to it, on the South Island there are 18 more peaks with a height of more than 3000 m. The eastern part of the island is more flat and almost completely occupied by agricultural land. The west coast of the island is much less densely populated. Significant massifs of almost untouched nature with virgin flora and fauna. the western part is also famous for its numerous national parks, fjords and glaciers descending from the slopes of the Southern Alps right into the Tasman Sea. Most big lake islands - Te Anau (the second largest lake in New Zealand).
The North Island, with an area of 115,777 km2, is much less mountainous than the South Island and is more convenient for creating settlements and seaports, which is why most of the population lives on it and the largest cities of the country are located here. most high point North Island is active volcano Ruapehu is 2797 meters high. The northern island is characterized by high volcanic activity: out of the six volcanic zones of the country, five are located on it. In the heart of the North Island is Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. It is the source of the Waikato River, which is 425 kilometers long, making it the longest river in New Zealand.
New Zealand is isolated from other islands and continents by large sea distances. The Tasman Sea washing its western coast separates the country from Australia for 1700 km. The Pacific Ocean washes East Coast country and separates the country from its nearest neighbors - in the north, from New Calendonia, for 1,000 km; in the east, from Chile, at 8700 km; and south of Antarctica for 2500 km.
The length of the coastal strip of New Zealand is 15,134 km Territorial waters - 12 nautical miles. Exclusive economic zone - up to 200 nautical miles. The area of the maritime exclusive economic zone is approximately 4,300,000 km2, which is 15 times the land area of the country. In the coastal waters of the country there are up to 700 small islands, most of them are located at a distance of up to 50 km from the main islands. Of the total, only about 60 are habitable or currently occupied.
The relief of New Zealand 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 mountains of the North Island do not exceed 1800 m in height, 19 peaks of the South Island are higher than 3000 m. The coastal zones of the North Island are represented by spacious valleys. Fjords are located on the western coast of the South Island.
Geological structure of New Zealand
The islands that form New Zealand are located in the Cenozoic geocyclinal region between two lithospheric plates - the Pacific and Australian. Over long historical periods, the fault site between the two plates has been subjected to complex geological processes, constantly changing the structure and shape of the earth's crust. That is why, unlike most islands Pacific Ocean, the islands of New Zealand were formed not only as a result of volcanic activity, but also as a result of faults and are composed of geological rocks of different composition and different ages.
Active tectonic activity in the earth's crust of this region continues at the present geological stage of the formation of our planet. And its results are noticeable even in a historically short period from the beginning of the development of the islands by Europeans. So, for example, as a result of a devastating earthquake in 1855, the coastline near Wellington rose by more than one and a half meters, and in 1931, also as a result of a strong earthquake near the city of Napier, about 9 km2 of land rose to the water surface.
The location of New Zealand is historically associated with active volcanic activity on its territory. Researchers suggest that it began in the early Miocene, and the period of formation of modern zones of increased volcanic activity was completed in the late Pliocene. The largest volcanic eruptions, presumably, took place during the late Pliocene - early Pleistocene, when about 5 million cubic kilometers of rock could erupt to the Earth's surface.
On present stage the zone of increased tectonic activity and the associated high number of earthquakes is the western coast of the South Island and the northeast coast of the North Island. The annual number of earthquakes in the country is up to 15,000, most of them are small and only about 250 annually can be classified as noticeable or strong. IN modern history the most powerful earthquake was recorded in 1855 near Wellington, with a force of about 8.2 points, the most destructive was the 1931 earthquake in the Napier region, which claimed 256 human lives.
Volcanic activity in modern New Zealand is still high and 6 volcanic zones are active in the country, five of which are located on the North Island. In the area of Lake Taupo, presumably in 186 BC, the largest documented volcanic eruption in the history of mankind occurred. The consequences of the eruption are described in the historical chronicles of places as far away as China and Greece. The site of the eruption is now the largest in the Pacific region freshwater lake, its area comparable to the territory of Singapore.
Minerals of New Zealand
New Zealand is located on the border of the Indo-Australian and Pacific seismic rings. The processes of their interaction, including the rapid rise mountain ranges and active volcanic activity for two million years, determined the geology of the land mass of the islands.
Despite the diversity of natural resources, only deposits of gas, oil, gold, silver, iron sandstone and coal are industrially developed. In addition to the above, there are extensive reserves of limestone and clays (including bentonite clay). Aluminum, titan iron ore, antimony, chromium, copper, zinc, manganese, mercury, tungsten, platinum, heavy spar, and a number of other minerals are often found, but their explored industrial reserves are small.
It should be especially noted that all deposits and all the extraction of jade since 1997 have been given to the management of the Maori, due to the important historical role that jade products (Pounamu Maori) play in the culture of this people. New Zealand's proven gold reserves are 372 tons. In 2002, gold production amounted to a little less than 10 tons. New Zealand's proven silver reserves are 308 tons. In 2002, silver mining amounted to almost 29 tons. The proven reserves of ferruginous sandstone are 874 million tons. Its industrial production began in the 60s of the XX century. In 2002, production amounted to about 2.4 million tons.
New Zealand's proven natural gas reserves are 68 bcm. Commercial gas production started in 1970. In 2005, natural gas production in the country amounted to approximately 50 million m3. Oil reserves are approximately 14 million tons, its industrial production began in 1935. Oil production in the country is declining markedly in last years. In 2005, the country's oil production amounted to just over 7 million barrels. Coal production, which has been steadily increasing for many decades, is stabilized in the first decade of the 21st century thanks to programs aimed at reducing the consumption of solid fuels. About a third of the coal produced is exported. Currently, 60 coal mines continue to operate in the country.
Climate of New Zealand
New Zealand's climate varies from warm subtropical in the north of the North Island to cool temperate in the south of the South Island; in mountainous areas, a harsh alpine climate prevails. The chain of the high Southern Alps divides the country in half and, blocking the path of predominant westerly winds, divides it into two different climatic zones. The west coast of the South Island is the wettest part of the country; East End, located just 100 kilometers from it, is the driest.
Most of New Zealand has rainfall between 600 and 1600 millimeters per year. They are distributed relatively evenly throughout the year, except during drier summers.
The average annual temperature ranges from +10 °C in the south to +16 °C in the north. Most cold month- July, and the warmest months are January and February. In the north of New Zealand, the differences between winter and summer temperatures are not very significant, but in the south and in foothill areas the difference reaches 14 °C. In the mountainous regions of the country, with increasing altitude, the temperature drops sharply, by about 0.7 ° C every 100 meters. in Oakland, largest city countries, mean annual temperature is +15.1°C, with the highest recorded temperature being +30.5°C and the lowest being -2.5°C. In the capital of the country, Wellington, the average annual temperature is +12.8 °C, the maximum recorded temperature is +31.1 °C, the minimum is -1.9 °C.
The number of hours of sunshine per year is relatively high, especially in areas protected from westerly winds. The national average is at least 2,000 hours. The level of solar radiation is very high in most of the country.
Snowfall is extremely rare in coastal areas north of the country and in the western part of the South Island, however, in the east and south, this island is subject to snowfall during the winter months. As a rule, such snowfalls are insignificant and short-lived. Night frosts in winter time may take place throughout the country.
Rivers and lakes of New Zealand
Thanks to special geological and geographical conditions New Zealand has many rivers and lakes. Most of the rivers are short (less than 50 km), originate in the mountains and quickly descend to the plains, where they slow down their flow. Waikato - largest river countries with a length of 425 km. The country also has 33 rivers with a length of more than 100 km and 6 rivers with a length of 51 to 95 km.
In New Zealand, there are 3,280 lakes with a water surface area of more than 0.001 km2, 229 lakes with a water surface of more than 0.5 km2, and 40 lakes with a water surface of more than 10 km2. The country's largest lake is Taupo (area 616 km2), the most deep lake- Huacaremoana (depth - 256 meters) Most of the lakes in the North Island are formed as a result of volcanic activity, and most of the lakes in the South Island are formed by glacial activity.
According to the statistics of 1977-2001, the average annual volume of renewable water resources in New Zealand is estimated at 327 km3, which is about 85 m3/year per capita. In 2001, the resources of river runoff and lakes amounted to about 320 km3, the resources of glaciers were about 70 km3, the resources of atmospheric moisture were about 400 km3 and the resources groundwater were estimated at approximately 613 km3.
The protection and management of water resources and the water supply system for the population and economic facilities in New Zealand is the responsibility of local governments. The cost of the main production assets of the water management complex is estimated at more than 1 billion New Zealand dollars. Centralized water supply systems provide drinking water about 85% of the country's population. About 77% of fresh water consumed in the country is used in irrigation systems.
Soils of New Zealand
In general, the soils of the country are relatively unfertile and not rich in humus. The most common types of soils are: Mountainous soil types - making up about half of the country's territory (of which about 15% are devoid of vegetation). Brown-gray soil types - mainly found in the intermountain plains of the South Island (unproductive for productive agriculture, used mainly as pastures). Yellow-gray soil types are typical for steppe regions and mixed forests and are used for active farming. Yellow-brown soil types are typical for hilly areas.
Animal world of New Zealand
Long historical isolation and remoteness from other continents has created a unique and in many ways inimitable natural world of the islands of New Zealand, which is distinguished by a large number of endemic plants and birds. About 1000 years ago, before the appearance of permanent human settlements on the islands, mammals were historically completely absent. The exceptions were two species of bats and coastal whales, sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) and fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri).
Simultaneously with the arrival of the first permanent residents, the Polynesians, on the islands, Polynesian rats and dogs appeared. Later, the first European settlers brought pigs, cows, goats, mice and cats. The development of European settlements in the nineteenth century caused the appearance in New Zealand of more and more new species of animals.
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 for the development of hunting), stoats (brought into the country to control the rabbit population), possums (brought into the country to develop the fur industry). Having no natural enemies in nature, the populations of these animals reached sizes that posed a threat to agriculture, public health, and put natural representatives of the flora and fauna of New Zealand on the brink of extinction. Only in recent years, through the efforts of the environmental departments of New Zealand, some coastal islands were spared from these animals, which made it possible to hope for the preservation of natural natural conditions there.
Of the representatives of the fauna of New Zealand, the most famous are the kiwi birds (Apterygiformes), which have become the national symbol of the country. Among the birds, it is also necessary to note kea (Nestor notabilis) (or nestor), kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) (or owl parrot), takahe (Notoronis hochstelteri) (or wingless sultan). Only in New Zealand have the remains of giant flightless moa birds (Dinornis) exterminated about 500 years ago, reaching a height of 3.5 m. wings up to 3 meters and weighing up to 15 kg. Reptiles found in New Zealand include the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) and the skink (Scincidae).
The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is the only representative of insectivores brought into the country and adapted to free living conditions in it. There are no snakes in New Zealand and only the katipo (Latrodectus katipo) is poisonous.
29 species of fish live in the fresh waters of the country, 8 of which are on the verge of extinction. Up to 3,000 species of fish and other sea creatures live in coastal seas.
Flora of New Zealand
Subtropical forest of New Zealand Flora of New Zealand has about 2000 species of plants, while endemics make up at least 70% of this number. The country's forests are divided into two main types - mixed subtropical and evergreen. The forests are dominated by polycarps (Podocarpus). The thickets of New Zealand agathis (Agathis australis) and cypress dacrydum (Dacrydium cupressinum) have survived, although they have sharply decreased during the industrial development of forests.
In artificial forests, the total area of which is about 2 million hectares, mainly radiant pine (Pinus radiata), brought to New Zealand in the middle of the 19th century, is grown. The plantation of radiant pine in the Kaingaroa Forest area has created the world's largest artificially grown forest.
New Zealand has the largest amount of liverworts in comparison to other countries. On the territory of the country there are 606 varieties of them, 50% of them are endemic. Mosses are widely distributed, with 523 varieties currently known in New Zealand.
Among the approximately 70 species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis) known in nature, approximately 30 are endemic to New Zealand. Unlike forget-me-nots in other parts of the world, only two species of these plants in New Zealand are blue - Myosotis antarctica and Myosotis capitata. Of the 187 grass varieties historically found in New Zealand, 157 are endemic.
In New Zealand there is an unusually large for given climate the number of ferns. The silver cyathea (Cyathea dealbata) (also known locally as the silver fern) is one of the commonly accepted national symbols.
Population of New Zealand
As of February 2010, the population of New Zealand is about 4.353 million people. The bulk of the country's population are New Zealanders of European origin, mostly descendants of immigrants from the UK. According to the 2006 census, the total share of the population of European origin is approximately 67.6% of total population countries. Representatives of the indigenous people, Maori, make up about 14.6% of the population. The next two largest ethnic groups - representatives of Asian and Polynesian peoples - account for 9.2% and 6.5% of the country's population, respectively.
The average age of the inhabitants of the country is about 36 years. In 2006, more than 500 people over the age of 100 lived in the country. In the same year, the proportion of the population under the age of 15 was 21.5%.
Population growth in 2007 was 0.95%. The total birth rate in the same year was 13.61 births per 1,000 population, and the total death rate was 7.54 deaths per 1,000 population.
Most New Zealanders permanently (or for a long time) live outside the country. The largest New Zealand diaspora lives in Australia (in 2000, the number of New Zealanders living in Australia was about 375,000 people) and in the UK (in 2001, about 50,000 people, while about 17% of New Zealanders have either British citizenship or the right to it). receipt). Traditionally, out-of-country New Zealanders maintain close contact with their homeland, and many of them deservedly become among the outstanding representatives of their country.
According to the 2006 census, the majority of the population, about 56%, profess Christianity (in 2001 there were 60% of such people). The most common denominations of Christianity in the country are Anglicanism, Latin Rite Catholicism, Presbyterianism and Methodism. Followers of Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam make up the next largest religious communities in New Zealand. About 35% of the country's population during the census did not associate themselves with religion (in 2001 there were 30% of such people).
The total number of Maori is 565,329. For 15 years (1991-2006), the number of this people in the country increased by almost 30%. About 47% of them are descendants of mixed marriages (mainly with Europeans). 51% of Maori living in New Zealand are men, 49% are women. Of these, 35% are children under 15 years of age. The average age of Maori living in New Zealand is about 23 years old. At the same time, the average age of women is a little over 24 years, and the average age of the male population is a little over 21 years.
About 87% of Maori live in the North Island and about 25% live in the city of Auckland or its suburbs. The largest concentration of representatives of this people is observed on Chatham Island. 23% can communicate fluently in the Maori language. About 25% do not own it at all. About 4% of Maori have a university education (or higher). About 39% of the total Maori population have permanent job in full employment.
English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are official languages countries. English is the main language of communication, and 96% of the country's population uses it as such. Most books, newspapers and magazines are published on it, it also dominates the broadcasting of radio and television. Maori is the second language official language. In 2006, the language of the deaf and dumb (New Zealand Sign Language) received the status of the third state language.
New Zealand dialect in English close to Australian, but retained a much greater influence of the English language of the southern regions of England. However, he acquired some of the characteristics of a Scottish and Irish accent. The Maori language had a certain influence on pronunciation, and some words of this language entered the daily communication of the country's multinational community.
In addition, representatives of another 171 language groups live in the country. The most spoken languages after English and Maori are Samoan, French, Hindi and Chinese. Russian language and others Slavic languages unused due to small numbers population for whom these languages are native.
Source - http://ru.wikipedia.org/
New Zealand is a country that surprise every traveler picturesque natural and rare wildlife. When you get here, you literally find yourself in a fairy tale, where landscapes amaze with their originality and grandeur.
New Zealand nature and animals that live harmoniously in it, are the basis of the mood of this state.
If you are wondering which animals in New Zealand are unique representatives of the local fauna, then you it will be interesting to know more about the flora and fauna of these islands in the Pacific Ocean.
A thousand years ago, when there were no permanent residents on the islands, mammals did not live on the territory of New Zealand, except for two species of bats, as well as whales, sea lions and seals that lived in coastal waters.
As soon as Polynesians began to actively settle New Zealand lands, dogs and rats appeared on the islands, and later Europeans brought goats, cows, pigs, cats and mice to New Zealand.
Such a turn of events became a real test. for the fauna of the islands. Rabbits, rats, stoats, ferrets and cats, which were brought for hunting, reached large sizes because they had no natural enemies.
This caused great harm to agriculture, as well as to the health of the population. Flora and fauna of New Zealand was under real threat!
To date, New Zealand's environmental authorities carefully control the flora and fauna New Zealand, and some areas have been completely freed from animals that pose a threat to fauna and flora.
Animals of New Zealand that can be named the brightest representatives of the fauna this country:
- Kiwi bird;
- kea parrot;
- owl parrot;
- tuatara;
- European hedgehog.
Interesting fact! In New Zealand, they found the remains of the flightless giant birds moi, exterminated more than five hundred years ago, whose height was three and a half meters.
Animals of New Zealand are also freshwater fish species, of which there are twenty-nine species. Eight of them are now on the verge of extinction. Also in this country lives more than 40 species of ants.
Why there are no snakes in New Zealand
For a long period of time it was believed that in New Zealand snakes don't live.
But in the 2000s a group of researchers from Australia and New Zealand discovered the remains of these reptiles.
This discovery was proof that approximately 15-20 million years ago snakes still lived in New Zealand.
But for what reason these animals became extinct is not known to this day. Some scholars suggest that it happened because of the ice age.
snakes just couldn't stand the cold, and since New Zealand is located at a fairly remote distance from civilization, new species of reptiles could not be brought here in time.
The question arises, “Why aren’t snakes brought to New Zealand today?”. Of course, if there was such a need, snakes could be brought here, for example, from neighboring Australia, but that's not the point. The fact is that snakes in New Zealand outlawed.
Attention! Breeding or keeping this reptile at home is strictly prohibited! Also, a fine will be imposed on those who accidentally saw a snake, but did not report it to the relevant authorities.
But still, in New Zealand there are snakes, only not terrestrial, but sea ones - the already visible sea krait and yellow-bellied bonito. These reptiles were only kept alive because they do not crawl on land and almost never found off the coast of New Zealand.
So why is the government so trembling and categorical relate to the fact that snakes did appear in New Zealand? The answer is that the snakes would immediately exterminate main character countries - the kiwi bird.
However, despite tight control, there is still a certain plus in the absence of snakes in New Zealand - the country is considered one of the safest countries in the world for outdoor travel.
Flora of New Zealand
The plants of New Zealand are approximately two thousand different kinds, 70% of which are endemic to the islands.
As regards New Zealand world famous forests in which the most cult films, then they are divided into two types - evergreen in the south and mixed subtropical in the north.
Artificial forests, that is, planted by man, cover an area of about 2 million hectares. These are forests of radiant pine, which was brought to New Zealand in the 19th century by colonists. The radiant pine forest, which is located in the Kaingaroa Forest area, is the largest on the planet artificial plantation.
In addition, on the New Zealand islands liver moss grows, of which there are many. To date, more than six hundred of its varieties are known on the territory of this state, of which half are endemic.
Also growing in New Zealand thirty kinds of forget-me-nots of the seventy known in the world.
The flora of New Zealand is also known for its ferns. This marvelous, since the New Zealand climate is far from the most suitable for this plant.
Cyathea silver or silver fern - one of the national symbols New Zealand.
As for the variety of herbs, the island of the archipelago grows 187 species of herbaceous plants, of which 157 grow only in New Zealand.
Like this ambiguous and interesting flora and fauna in New Zealand. A large number of different types of birds - from exotic small birds to huge flightless representatives of the avifauna. Undoubtedly, the New Zealand flora and fauna is one of the most interesting to know.
New Zealand is a country of mountains, lakes and rivers, evergreen forests and agricultural land.
The two largest New Zealand islands, South and North, separated by the Cook Strait, make up most of the country's territory. New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands, Chatham, Antipodes, Tokelau, Kermaden, Campbell and about 700 other small Pacific islands.
Geography and geology
Although the North and South Islands separated by only twenty kilometers of water, they differ markedly from each other in their climatic, topographical and geological characteristics.
Along west coast South Island passes Mountain chain New Zealand Alps. Their most high peak is called Mount Cook and is located at an altitude of 3764 meters above sea level, which is quite comparable with the heights of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
West of mountain range grow rainforests, in the east are the plains of Canterbury, formed mountain rivers. In the south of the island there is a row large lakes that arose on the site of giant glaciers.
Severny Island is noticeably less mountainous, however, in its northeastern part there are ridges up to 1700 meters above sea level. In the central part of the North Island is the largest lake in New Zealand - Lake Taupo, as well as many small reservoirs, waterfalls, mud geysers and geothermal springs.
Features of flora and fauna
The islands, located at a distance of 1,600 kilometers from Australia and Polynesia, are the surface part of a vast underwater plateau, which over eighty million years ago, during a geological cataclysm, broke away from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which included the territories of modern Africa, South America, Antarctica and Australia.
It allowed native species exist and evolve in relative isolation from other islands and continents for tens of millions of years. That is why New Zealand still preserves unique representatives of the animal and flora that flourished on the islands of the archipelago long before the appearance of the first people there.
Animals and birds
Before the appearance of people who brought European animals to the islands, only two species of land mammals lived here - case-winged bats. For millions of years in local fauna dominated by lizards, insects and, above all, different kinds birds, the most famous representative of which was the kiwi bird.
Given the name of the famous fruit due to its resemblance, kiwi lives not in nests, but in earthen burrows. Her plumage is more like fur, and her vestigial wings are not strong enough to lift her body into the air.
The only surviving representative of the wingless order, the kiwi bird has become the national symbol of New Zealand and even received the nickname "honorary mammal". And the nickname kiwis has firmly stuck to the New Zealanders.
Plants
The flora of the New Zealand archipelago, like its fauna, has developed in relative isolation over millions of years.
Prior to colonization, New Zealand's islands were almost completely covered in evergreen forests, ferns and flowering plants, but since the arrival of humans on the islands, much of the forest cover has been burned or cut down to make way for grazing and arable land.
However, on the territory of the archipelago, a shrub vegetation zone, tropical coniferous-deciduous forests in the north and beech forests in the south of the country have been preserved. The unique remains of the once common New Zealand agathis, or kauri, are carefully protected - giant trees up to 60 meters in height and 10 meters in diameter, which is twice the size of the Siberian cedar.
Sea life
New Zealand's coastal waters are home to hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates that feed on kelp-covered reefs. Fur seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales are also often found in these waters.
Summer water temperatures near the New Zealand archipelago range from +9°C at Campbell Island to +24°C near the Kermadec Islands, resulting in significant species diversity. marine life. So, for example, the exotic yellow-tailed menticirrus and the familiar perch imported from England live in the northern, more warm reservoirs countries. Others such as ringed wrasse, telescope fish and others amazing views, typical of the south of New Zealand.
More than three thousand species of mollusks live along the entire island coast - from microscopic sea snails to giant mussels, 70 species of sharks, 26 species of rays, as well as several types of marine chimeras. These fish, often referred to as "ghost sharks", are considered distant relatives of common sharks and live at depths of at least two kilometers.
Almost all listed and thousands of other species are protected by the New Zealand government. Those species that can no longer survive on their own (due to competition with imported European animals and birds) live in 14 national parks and hundreds of small reserves under the watchful eye of specialists. A tour of such a park is an unforgettable event in the life of any tourist. The incredible beauty and richness of the New Zealand flora and fauna have made the country a place of pilgrimage for millions of nature lovers from all over the planet and for those who dream of.
