Wildlife 

Before man arrived New Zealand was a land of birds, birds that evolved with no predators. The only mammal was a tiny native bat. And it was the very last country on earth to be settled by humans.

The result, today, is a bird population that is different than any you will see elsewhere in the world. Take a tour of our predator-free open sanctuaries and you will see close at hand the rare and unique birds. But many native birds – the tui, kereru (native wood pigeon) and the flittering piwakawaka (fantail) are all around you, in the bush and in the gardens.

The most fascinating bird is the kiwi. Go into the bush at night and you will hear the distinctive ‘kee-wee’ of this shy nocturnal bird as it fossicks on the forest floor.

You’ll find fur seal colonies dotted around the coast of the South Island and lower North Island. There are penguins and dolphins and, if you go to Kaikoura, boats will take you to meet those magnificent of mammals, the whales. New Zealand’s rich fish life can be seen in the haven of the many Marine Reserves and in a number of aquariums.

Find out more about these types of wildlife: