The wonderful world of New Zealand (animals). Vegetation of New Zealand What animals are there in New Zealand

Nature of New Zealand

All of New Zealand's current diversity of mammal species is the result of human activity. The British, and later the New Zealanders, treated the islands purely pragmatically; they viewed the new place as a farm, albeit a large one, but still a barnyard. Each species was brought deliberately, and it was assigned a certain place in the created structure; the settlers brought their way of life and habits from distant England and recreated everything in a new place. Unfortunately, the imported animals got out of control and nature put everything in its place, not as originally planned. In this article, I tried to link the importation of animals to dates and understand why this or that species was imported

New Zealand, separated for a long period from Gondwana (an ancient supercontinent of the Southern Hemisphere), had a rich endemic fauna, however, there were practically no mammals there.
Before the arrival of man in 800 AD, the archipelago was home to only three species of small bats, sea lions, fur seals, and whales.
This was the case until the current washed the fighting pies of the Maori, who later became the indigenous population of New Zealand, to the shores. Usually only Europeans are blamed for all environmental troubles, but the Maori also contributed to changing the animal world of the islands. In 1280 they brought with them the small rat, which they used as a pet and also as food. And they destroyed one of the three species of bats.
A new archipelago southeast of Australia was discovered by the Dutchman Abel Tasman. In 1642, his team landed on one of the islands, but local residents killed several sailors, which scared off the explorer and, so to speak, delayed the change in the fauna of the archipelago for more than a hundred years
The first European mammals to land on the archipelago with Captain James Cook in 1773 were goats and pigs. The Englishman specifically released them onto the islands during his second voyage to New Zealand as a source of food for the shipwrecked. Early explorers, whalers, sealers and settlers used the animals for food and for barter with the Maori
The pigs were distributed by local residents as gifts to each other. The Maori quickly appreciated the gastronomic value of the new animals, as well as their ability to utilize food scraps
With the first Europeans, unwanted guests also entered the islands; there were always a lot of rodents on the ships. The black rat, the house mouse and the gray rat (pasyuk) were the first and only mammals that were brought to the island by accident.
All the rest were introduced quite deliberately, which led to irreversible changes in the flora and fauna of the islands
The beginning of colonization of the archipelago was noted in 1814; domestic cats also appeared with the first settlers. But the cat, as you know, walks on its own, so these ones got out of control, increasing their population and causing great damage to flightless bird species, putting them at risk of extinction
In the same year, the first settlers brought cows with them (I can imagine how difficult it was, given the technology for transporting livestock at that time). On a long journey, you need to keep a huge smell of feed and, most importantly, water, so valuable at sea. But traditions are traditions, what kind of Englishman would he be without a cup of tea with milk?
Analyzing the species set of settlers that the British brought to a new place, we can divide them into several groups: pets, animals for farming and hunting
The rapid development of the textile industry in England and the rapidly growing demand for wool gave impetus to the colonization of New Zealand, the purpose of which was to provide pasture land for sheep. The first sheep appeared in 1830 and became one of the symbols of New Zealand, enclosure ended in Great Britain, the words of Thomas More thundered “sheep eat men”, so these animals were seen as a symbol of prosperity, so it is not surprising that they were one of the first to arrive on the green meadows of the new homeland. On the first sheep farms, they kept mainly Merino sheep, since wool was more in demand than meat, because it was easier to deliver it to the metropolis, and it was necessary to wait half a century before the first refrigerated ship appeared. The appearance of sheep changed the landscape of the islands - sheep are the most voracious among farm animals, they eat about 250 types of herbs, leaving the local herbivorous fauna without a food source.
Although some local species have found use for newcomers. Before the arrival of Europeans, the kea parrot (Nestor notabilis) living on the islands ate mainly fruits, insects, flower nectar, and less often carrion. But as soon as sheep were brought to the islands, parrots learned to hunt them, and in a very cunning way: the strongest and largest males choose smaller and weaker sheep from the flock, dive onto its back and, tightly clinging to the wool with their claws, tear the skin with their powerful beaks. A wounded animal simply bleeds to death or runs away in terror, falls and breaks its neck. Well, now the whole flock flocks to the meal!

Three years later, the sheep were accompanied by the Australian bristle-tailed possum, kuzu (Trichosurus vulpecula) - this was the first of the Australian species introduced by Europeans to the islands of New Zealand. Possums were brought in to develop the fur trade: the fur of these animals was in demand on the World Market and the British decided to develop a new market for their goods. The “New Zealand bear” still has some practical significance: its meat is supplied to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and the local industry processes carcasses into food for dogs and cats. However, the benefits of kuzu are limited to this.
In Australia, the possum population was controlled by dingoes, bushfires and sparse vegetation. In New Zealand they exist in favorable conditions, so they breed twice a year. The number of possums is estimated at 70 million individuals, and they account for 7 million tons of vegetation consumed per year.
Kuzu cause great harm to forestry by eating young shoots, and valuable species of endemic trees suffer; Climbing up poles, animals chew through wires, dying in the process and leaving entire villages without light. In addition, they are carriers of tuberculosis, food competitors and natural enemies of land snails and birds. Now the symbol of New Zealand - the kiwi bird (Apteryx Shaw) lives under the constant supervision of naturalists and pressure from possums. They are trying with all their might to multiply the former so that they do not have time to disappear, while they are trying to destroy the latter by hook or by crook.

In 1838, the first type of “entertainment animal,” the rabbit, was brought to the islands. The British are big fans of hunting - they are beginning to form a hunting fauna. A little more than 20 years have passed since colonization and not only working farmers, but also bored aristocrats have appeared in society. Mathematical modeling methods were not yet known, and no one knew that rabbits in the fertile conditions of New Zealand would breed much faster than hunters could shoot them. As a result, the nascent agricultural economy of young Europeanized Zealand was almost undermined - rabbits devastated the pastures intended for sheep with lightning speed
For some reason, rabbits alone were not enough for the British, and in 1851 they introduced the Western European brown hare
Further, Europeans bring animals only for their favorite hobby of hunting. Between 1851 and 1923, approximately 1,000 British farmed deer were released into the wild to provide game for hunters. But in an excellent climate and in the absence of predators, the population grew and began to threaten agriculture. Then the New Zealanders began to regulate the number by shooting, and sell the meat to European countries, where it was traditionally in demand. Over time, the flow of venison to Europe increased and people began to think about commercial production and began to organize deer farms. The first license for a deer farm was issued in 1969. By 1979, there were 800 reindeer herding farms, and the interest was so great that after only a year there were already 1,540.
The domestication of deer in New Zealand was a remarkable phenomenon.
In fact, it was the first animal in the last 5,000 years that could be domesticated, while goats, cows and others had already served humans for hundreds of centuries.
This was achieved through a unique combination of a number of factors:
a system for catching deer in nature was developed
no one, including the government, opposed the capture of deer, because they were recognized as a “harmful” animal
a large population of wild deer provided farms with ready-made livestock
temperate climate allowed year-round pasture use
In 2005, there were more than 1.7 million farmed reindeer (compared to 5 million cows, 40 million sheep). New Zealand has become a world leader in reindeer husbandry in terms of its technology and relative contribution to the national economy

Extremely unique. It has been preserved in its original form thanks to its long historical isolation and distance from other continents. Some species of animals and birds, for example, the symbol of the country, the flightless kiwi bird, or the “living dinosaur,” the tuatara lizard, whose closest relatives became extinct 65 million years ago, live only here.

Skeletons of a giant giant were found in local caves. birds of new zealand- moa. It reached 3.5 meters in height and was the only bird in the history of the Earth completely devoid of wings. These unique creatures were exterminated by the Maori approximately 400 years ago. A little later, presumably only about 200 years ago, the largest known species of eagle, the Haast eagle, which had a wingspan of up to 3 meters and weighed up to 15 kg, was also exterminated.

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 marine animals living in coastal waters: dolphins, whales, killer whales, fur seals and lions. Also, there are no snakes in New Zealand, and of the spiders, only the katipo is poisonous.

All are predatory New Zealand animals: rats, mice, ferrets, stoats, possums, dogs and cats - were brought to New Zealand by colonialists - Polynesians and Europeans. The appearance of some of them had an extremely negative impact on the flora and fauna of the islands. Only in recent years, through the efforts of New Zealand's environmental agencies, some coastal islands have been rid of predatory animals, which allows us to hope that pristine natural conditions will be preserved there.

Birds are held in high esteem in New Zealand. Stepping off the plane at Auckland Airport, you will immediately hear polyphonic birdsong, and while relaxing on the shore of the lake, you risk being surrounded by a flock of geese, ducks and swans. The smartest bird in New Zealand and the whole world is the kea parrot - a threat to unattended cars, cameras and backpacks. From others birds of new zealand It is worth noting the takahe (it was considered extinct, but was discovered again in 1948), the kakapo (moreporkowl - an owl parrot that prevents you from sleeping at night with its loud cries) and the sweet-voiced tui.

New Zealand waters are home to the world's smallest dolphins (1.4 meters) - Hector's dolphins. They can easily be found near the coast of the South Island.

Flora of New Zealand is very diverse: it has about 2000 plant species, 80% of which are endemic, that is, they grow exclusively in this country. Especially a lot in New Zealand nature ferns. One of them - Cyathea silvery or silver fern - is a symbol of New Zealand and is depicted on its unofficial flag.

Another green attraction New Zealand - trees cowrie (kauri). They reach colossal sizes and live for many hundreds of years. It is not for nothing that so many Maori myths and legends are associated with them. The most famous kauri tree is Tane Mahuta, named after the Maori god of the forests. It reaches a height of 51 meters, its girth is 13 meters, and its age is close to 2000 years.

The most beautiful New Zealand tree- pohutukawa. It blooms with fluffy bright red flowers from mid-December to mid-January, and for this it received its second name - New Zealand's Christmas tree.

New Zealand's landscapes are delightfully diverse: mountains, valleys, plateaus, rivers and lakes, beaches, glaciers, geysers, volcanoes and fiords - it has everything in a relatively compact area. That's what makes it so exciting. Today you can sunbathe on the beach or admire flora of New Zealand, and tomorrow you can go skiing, and for this you don’t have to go far away.

20% of the country's territory is occupied by national parks and reserves with free access for everyone. All parks have excellent walking trails with information boards and places to visit. There are also two areas in New Zealand with World Heritage Area status. These are Tongariro in the central part of the North Island and Te Wahipounamu in the southwest of the South Island. The latter includes the Westland/TaiPoutini, Mount Aspiring, Aoraki/Mount Cook and Fiordland national parks.

In 2005, New Zealand became the first country in the world to introduce a carbon tax. As one of the important promising areas, by 2020 it plans to become the first country in the world to have a neutral balance of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, and thereby achieve recognition of its status as the cleanest country in the world.

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 consists of two islands, which have corresponding names - Yuzhny Island and Severny Island. The South and North Islands are separated by Cook Strait. In addition to the two main islands, New Zealand has about 700 islands of much smaller area, most of which are uninhabited.

The largest of them are Stewart Island, the Antipodes Islands, Auckland Island, the Bounty Islands, Campbell Islands, the Chatham Archipelago and Kermadec Island. The total area of ​​the country is 268,680 km2. This makes it slightly smaller in size than Italy or Japan, but slightly larger than the UK. New Zealand's coastline is 15,134 kilometers long.

The South Island is New Zealand's largest island, with an area of ​​151,215 km2. The island is home to approximately one-fourth of the country's population. The ridge of folded mountains of the Southern Alps stretches along the island from north to south, the highest peak of which is Mount Cook, another official name - Aoraki) with a height of 3754 meters. In addition to it, there are 18 more peaks on the South Island with a height of more than 3000 m. The eastern part of the island is flatter and is almost completely occupied by agricultural land. The western coast of the island is much less densely populated. Significant tracts of practically untouched nature with virgin flora and fauna have been preserved here. the western part is also famous for its numerous national parks, fjords and glaciers descending from the slopes of the Southern Alps directly into the Tasman Sea. The island's largest lake is Te Anau (the second largest lake in New Zealand).

The North Island, with an area of ​​115,777 km2, is significantly 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 in the country are located here. The highest point in the North Island is the active volcano Ruapehu at 2,797 metres. The North Island is characterized by high volcanic activity: out of the country's six volcanic zones, five are located on it. In the heart of the North Island lies 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 long sea distances. The Tasman Sea, which washes its western coast, separates the country from Australia by 1,700 km. The Pacific Ocean washes the eastern coast of the country and separates the country from its closest neighbors - in the north, from New Calendonia, by 1,000 km; in the east, from Chile, 8700 km; and 2500 km south of Antarctica.

The length of New Zealand's coastal strip is 15,134 km. Territorial waters are 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 country's land surface area. There are up to 700 small islands in the country's coastal waters, most of them located at a distance of up to 50 km from the main islands. Of the total, only approximately 60 are habitable or currently inhabited.

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 mountains of the North Island do not exceed 1800 m in height; 19 peaks of the South Island are above 3000 m. The coastal zones of the North Island are represented by spacious valleys. There are fjords on the west 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 subject to complex geological processes that constantly change the structure and shape of the earth's crust. That is why, unlike most islands of the 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 compositions 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 of time since the beginning of the development of the islands by Europeans. For example, as a result of the devastating earthquake of 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 its beginning 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 approximately 5 million cubic kilometers of rock could have erupted onto the Earth's surface.

At the 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 northeastern coast of the North Island. The annual number of earthquakes in the country is up to 15,000, most of them 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 magnitude of about 8.2 points, the most destructive was the 1931 earthquake in the Napier area, which claimed 256 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, supposedly in 186 BC, the largest documented volcanic eruption in human history occurred. The consequences of the eruption are described in historical chronicles from places as far away as China and Greece. At the site of the eruption there is now the largest freshwater lake in the Pacific region, with an 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. Their interaction processes, including rapid uplift of mountain ranges and intense volcanic activity over a period of two million years, determined the geology of the islands' land mass.

Despite the diversity of natural resources, only deposits of gas, oil, gold, silver, ferruginous sandstone and coal are industrially developed. In addition to the above, there are extensive reserves of limestone and clays (including bentonite clay). Aluminum, titanium iron ore, antimony, chromium, copper, zinc, manganese, mercury, tungsten, platinum, heavy spar and a number of other minerals are often found, but their proven industrial reserves are small.

It should be especially noted that all deposits and all jade mining since 1997 have been placed under the management of Maori, due to the important historical role that jade products (Maori Pounamu) play in the culture of this people. Proven gold reserves in New Zealand are 372 tons. In 2002, gold production was slightly less than 10 tons. New Zealand's proven silver reserves are 308 tonnes. In 2002, silver production amounted to almost 29 tons. Confirmed reserves of ferruginous sandstone amount to 874 million tons. Its industrial production began in the 60s of the 20th century. In 2002, production amounted to about 2.4 million tons.

New Zealand's proven natural gas reserves are 68 billion m3. Industrial gas production began in 1970. In 2005, natural gas production in the country amounted to approximately 50 million m3. Oil reserves are approximately 14 million tons; industrial production began in 1935. Oil production in the country has been declining markedly in recent years. In 2005, oil production in the country amounted to just over 7 million barrels. Coal production, which had been steadily increasing for many decades, stabilized in the first decade of the 21st century thanks to programs aimed at reducing solid fuel consumption. About a third of the coal produced is exported. Currently, 60 coal mines continue to operate in the country.

New Zealand climate

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 high Southern Alps bisects the country and, blocking the path of the prevailing westerly winds, divides it into two different climatic zones. The west coast of the South Island is the wettest part of the country; the eastern part, located only 100 kilometers from it, is the driest.

In most of New Zealand, rainfall levels range from 600 to 1600 millimeters per year. They are distributed relatively evenly throughout the year, with the exception of drier summers.

The average annual temperature ranges from +10 °C in the south to +16 °C in the north. The coldest month is 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 the foothills the difference reaches 14 °C. In the mountainous regions of the country, as the altitude increases, the temperature drops sharply, by about 0.7 °C every 100 meters. Auckland, the country's largest city, has an average annual temperature of +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 2000 hours. Solar radiation levels are very high in most of the country.

Snowfall is extremely rare in the coastal areas of the north of the country and in the western part of the South Island, but the east and south of the island are prone to snowfall during the winter months. As a rule, such snowfalls are insignificant and short-lived. Night frosts in winter can occur throughout the country.

Rivers and lakes of New Zealand

Due to the special geological and geographical conditions, New Zealand has many rivers and lakes. Most rivers are short (less than 50 km), originate in the mountains and quickly descend to the plains, where they slow down their flow. The Waikato is the country's largest river, 425 km long. 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 area of ​​more than 0.5 km2 and 40 with a water surface area of ​​more than 10 km2. The country's largest lake is Taupo (area 616 km2), the deepest lake is Huaikaremoana (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.

The average annual volume of renewable water resources according to statistical data from 1977-2001 in New Zealand is estimated at 327 km3, which is about 85 m3/year per capita. In 2001, river and lake resources were approximately 320 km3, glacier resources were approximately 70 km3, atmospheric moisture resources were approximately 400 km3 and groundwater resources 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 to about 85% of the country's population. About 77% of the country's freshwater consumption is used in irrigation systems.

New Zealand soils

In general, the country's soils are relatively unfertile and poor in humus. The most common soil types are: Mountain 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 (poorly productive for productive agriculture, used mainly as pastures). Yellow-gray soil types are characteristic of steppe regions and mixed forests and are used for active farming. Yellow-brown soil types are characteristic of hilly areas.

Fauna of New Zealand

Long-term historical isolation and distance from other continents has 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. 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 (Phocarctos hookeri) and fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri).

Simultaneously with the arrival of the first permanent inhabitants, the Polynesians, to these lands, Polynesian 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 animal species 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 for the development of hunting), stoats (brought into the country to control the rabbit population), possums (brought into the country for the development of the fur industry). Having no natural enemies in the surrounding nature, populations of these animals reached sizes that posed a threat to agriculture, public health, and brought natural representatives of the flora and fauna of New Zealand to the brink of extinction. Only in recent years, through the efforts of New Zealand's environmental departments, have some coastal islands been rid of these animals, which has made it possible to hope for the preservation of natural conditions there.

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 the kea (Nestor notabilis) (or nestor), kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) (or owl parrot), takahe (Notoronis hochstelteri) (or wingless plume). Only in New Zealand are the remains of the giant flightless birds moa (Dinornis), which reached a height of 3.5 m, exterminated about 500 years ago, preserved. A little later, presumably only about 200 years ago, the largest known species of eagles, the Haast's eagle, was exterminated. wings up to 3 meters and weighing up to 15 kg. Reptiles found in New Zealand include the hatteria (Sphenodon punctatus) and the skink (Scincidae).

The only representative of insectivores introduced into the country and adapted to the free living conditions there is the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). There are no snakes in New Zealand, and only the katipo (Latrodectus katipo) is a poisonous spider.

The country's fresh waters are home to 29 species of fish, 8 of which are on the verge of extinction. The coastal seas are home to up to 3,000 species of fish and other marine life.

Flora of New Zealand

Subtropical forest of New ZealandThe flora of New Zealand contains about 2000 plant species, with endemics making 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 polycarpids (Podocarpus). Thickets of New Zealand agathis (Agathis australis) and cypress dacridum (Dacrydium cupressinum) have been preserved, although they have sharply decreased during the industrial development of forests.

The man-made forests, which cover an area of ​​about 2 million hectares in total, are mainly cultivated with the Radiated Pine (Pinus radiata), introduced to New Zealand in the mid-19th century. Plantings of radiata pine in the Kaingaroa Forest area have created the world's largest artificially grown forest.

New Zealand has the largest number of liver mosses of any country. There are 606 species in the country, 50% of which are endemic. Mosses are widespread, with 523 species currently known in New Zealand.

Of 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 species historically found in New Zealand, 157 are endemic.

New Zealand has an unusually large number of ferns for its climate. Cyathea dealbata (also known in the country as silver fern) is one of the generally 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 is made up of New Zealanders of European descent, mainly descendants of immigrants from Great Britain. According to the 2006 census, the total proportion of the population of European origin is approximately 67.6% of the total population of the country. Representatives of the indigenous people, Maori, make up about 14.6% of the population. The next two largest ethnic groups, Asian and Polynesian, make up 9.2% and 6.5% of the country's population, respectively.

The average age of the country's residents is about 36 years. In 2006, there were more than 500 people over the age of 100 living 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 crude birth rate that year was 13.61 births per 1,000 population, and the crude death rate was 7.54 deaths per 1,000 population.

The majority of New Zealanders live outside the country permanently (or for long periods of time). 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, with about 17% of New Zealanders having either British citizenship or the right to it receiving). Traditionally, New Zealanders living outside the country maintain close contacts with their homeland, and many of them deservedly rank among the outstanding representatives of their country.

According to the 2006 census, the majority of the population, about 56%, profess Christianity (in 2001 this was 60%). 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%).

The total number of Maori is 565,329. Over 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. 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 Māori live in the North Island and about 25% live in the city of Auckland or its suburbs. The greatest concentration of representatives of this people is observed on Chatham Island. 23% can communicate fluently in Maori. About 25% do not own one at all. About 4% of Māori have a university degree (or higher). About 39% of the total Māori population have a regular, full-time job.

English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are the country's official languages. 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, and it also predominates in radio and television broadcasting. The Maori language is the second official language. In 2006, the New Zealand Sign Language received the status of the third official language.

The New Zealand dialect of English is close to Australian, but retains much greater influence from the English of the southern regions of England. At the same time, he acquired some characteristic features of the Scottish and Irish accent. The Maori language had a certain influence on the pronunciation and some words of this language entered the everyday communication of the multinational community of the country.

In addition, representatives of another 171 language groups live in the country. The most commonly spoken languages ​​after English and Maori are Samoan, French, Hindi and Chinese. The Russian language and other Slavic languages ​​are rarely used due to the small population for which these languages ​​are native.

Source - http://ru.wikipedia.org/

Before the arrival of humans in New Zealand (around 1300), the only endemic mammals here were three species of bats: long-tailed - Chalinolobus, with a membrane along the entire length of the tail, with which they capture insects in flight, and short-tailed ones - large casewings - Mystacina robusta and small - Mystacina tuberculata.

Casewings live on the islands, but have reduced their population and disappeared in many places, exterminated by ship rats. They weigh 12-15 grams, have characteristic pointed ears and are mousy gray in color. Unlike other bats, which hunt exclusively in the air, sheathwings catch prey on the ground, using their folded wings as limbs to move along the forest floor. In cold weather, casewings fall into torpor and do not leave their shelters, awakening in the warm season. Males attract females with a kind of “singing”. These animals feed on insects, fruits, nectar and pollen, being plant pollinators.

Long-tailed bats ( Chalinolobus tuberculatus) are found frequently, both on the main islands and on smaller ones. They are smaller in size than casewings, weigh 8-11 grams, have small ears, and are beautiful brown in color. They can reach speeds of 60 km/h, their area is one hundred square meters. km.

Sea creatures

Seals and whales, once ubiquitous in New Zealand, were almost wiped out in the nineteenth century. Several colonies of seals are now known: sea lions Zalophus californianus, fur seals Callorhinus ursinus, leopard seals Hydrurga leptonyx and elephant seals Mirounga leonina. On the beaches, among the rocks, you can find many fur seals and get within arm's reach of them. They are absolutely not afraid of humans. Sea lions are less common. Despite their size (and they are very large), they move quickly, so you need to be careful, although they are quite friendly. Whales and dolphins are found in the sea all the time.

Immigrant Animals

Introduced animals that undermine the islands' ecosystem pose a great danger to New Zealand. Therefore, the populations of deer, possums, rats, and mustelids are under government control.

Deer were introduced to New Zealand 150 years ago. The following species currently live here: red deer - Cervus elaphus, Sika deer - Cervus nippon, European brown deer - Dama dama, Wapiti - Cervus canadensis, Indian sambar - deer Cervus unicolor, White-tailed deer - Odocoileus virginianus and Sambar maned - Cervus timorensis. An increase in the number of deer has a negative impact on the local flora.

Kiore, or Pacific rat Rattus exulans- the third largest of all rats, found throughout the Pacific region and Asian countries. Kiore are poor swimmers and arrived in the country with people. Together with the gray rat Pasyuk Rattus norvegicus and a black rat Rattus rattus they attack birds that nest on the ground, eat eggs and chicks, and exterminate lizards and insects.

The population of Kaimanawa Wild Horses numbers 500 individuals. They destroy the rare flora of the islands, so they are assigned areas where there are no vulnerable and rare species of flora.

Australian bristle-tailed possum

The wide distribution of mustelids - trochees, stoats and weasels negatively affects the fauna of the islands. It is very difficult to control their population, since mustelids lead a secretive lifestyle. Stoats kill about 40 kiwi chicks a day on the North Island and eat 15,000 birds a year, or 60% of all chicks. The other 35% fall victim to choreas. On the North Island, only 5% of kiwi chicks survive.

Australian bristle-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula was brought to New Zealand in 1837 to develop the fur trade. In their homeland, the possum population was controlled by dingoes, forest fires and the paucity of vegetation. In New Zealand they exist in favorable conditions, so they breed twice a year. The opossum population is estimated at 70 million individuals, accounting for 7 million tons of vegetation per year. Opossums cause great harm to forestry by eating young shoots, and valuable species of endemic trees (rata, totara, titoki, kowhai, kohekohe) suffer from them. They are food competitors and natural enemies of birds and land snails, as well as carriers of tuberculosis.

Geckos and skinks

There are 90 known species of lizards in New Zealand. They live at altitudes from sea level to 2000 m. The Majoris call them ngarara (or karara - southern dialect). Of these, there are 16 species of geckos and 28 species of skinks. The oldest gecko lived 42 years, although their usual lifespan in nature is 30 years. New Zealand skinks large Oligosoma grande and Otago Oligosoma otagense viviparous, of which the second reaches 30 cm and is considered a giant among endemic lizards. They breed annually, having 3-6 (rarely 10) young. Suter's skink Oligosoma suteri lays eggs.

The smallest lizards belong to the genus New Zealand skinks, cyclodines -
Cyclodina, the smallest of its representatives, the copper skink Cyclodina aenea has 120 mm in length.

Hatteria

Of the reptiles, the hatteria is interesting Sphenodon punctatus, or tuatara, which is the only representative of the order Sphenodontia. This medium-sized lizard, weighing from 300 to 1000 g, is a contemporary of dinosaurs and has lived on earth for 200 million years. Its contemporaries died out 60 million years ago.

The tuateria was once widespread throughout New Zealand, but now survives only on thirty-two small islands, where there are no rodents or natural predators introduced by humans. The hatteria stays close to colonies of seabirds, whose droppings serve as a nutritional basis for the life of many invertebrates that the hatteria feeds on.

As with other lizards, the temperature at which the eggs develop affects the sex of the offspring.

Rare skinks

Chevron skink - Oligosoma homalonotum- one of the rarest lizards in New Zealand. It is a large lizard, 30 cm long, with a pattern of two dark and one light stripe running from the eyes to the upper lip. Between the stripes there is mint in the shape of a drop. About 250 places where they are found have been identified, all of them are located near water. Almost nothing is known about the life of these lizards. Chevron skinks make loud sounds similar to grunts and squeaks. The female gives birth to 8 cubs, but does not breed every year.

Endemic frogs

New Zealand frogs belong to the genus Leiopelma, an ancient and primitive group of frogs. In 70 million years they have changed little. These are small, nocturnal frogs that are well camouflaged. Three species live in shady forest areas, one stays near water and leads a semi-submerged lifestyle. Characteristic features distinguish them from other frogs in the world. They do not have an external eardrum, their eye is round rather than a narrow slit, they do not croak often, they do not have tadpoles - the egg hatches into a fully formed frog. Parents take care of their offspring, and the male archer's frog - Leiopelma archeyi carries the juvenile on its back.

There are seven known species of endemic frogs, three of them are extinct, four are still alive today, found mainly on small islands.

Powellifanta predatory snails

Land snails of the genus Powelliphanta whose curl diameter reaches 90 mm, they live in secluded corners of the forest in small colonies. The color of the shell is very beautiful: shades of red, brown, yellow and brown.

They are different from the common snail Helix aspersa/, which also live in New Zealand and are considered agricultural pests. There is a known case when work on the development of coal mines in Westpoint (South Island) was stopped due to the fact that a colony of 250 snails lived in this place. The colony was transported and released elsewhere.
There are 21 known species and 51 subspecies of these snails.

Unlike other snails, powellifants are carnivores and feed on earthworms, which they suck into their mouths like we eat spaghetti. Their other prey is slugs. Powellifants can lift a load of 90 g. These snails are hermaphrodites, possessing male and female reproductive organs, and therefore mate with any adult representative of their genus, laying annually 5-10 large eggs, 12-14 mm long, in a hard shell, which are similar on the eggs of small birds.

They are nocturnal and spend most of their lives in damp leaf litter and under fallen trees. Snails live up to 20 years.

Giant insects

The insect world in New Zealand is very diverse. Its distinctive feature is the gigantic size of some species, which is due to the absence of snakes and small mammals there. Giant wingless weta grasshoppers Deinacrida rugosa took on the ecological role of specialized distributors of plant seeds with succulent fruits. Wetas reach 7 cm in length. Rare spiders and red admiral butterflies are still found in abundance on the small islands to this day.

Other large insects - flightless stag beetle Geodorcus helmsi, longhorned beetle and stick insects.

Argentine ants

Argentine ants - Linepithema humile- are very aggressive, and although they are not poisonous, their bites are very painful to people. Unlike other species, Argentine ants live in huge colonies, maintaining connections among themselves, thus forming supercolonies. Where they gather, Argentine ants are voracious and very aggressive towards other types of insects. You can recognize the Argentine ant by its size - they reach 2-3 mm in length, yellow-brown color (other New Zealand ants are black), and the width of the path along which a formation of 5 or more ranks of ants can simultaneously pass. They can climb trees in search of food. They displace other ant species in New Zealand and become a serious food competitor for birds and lizards, taking insects and worms, as well as nectar.