Julian Fitter - Field Guide to the Wildlife of New Zealand

To my father, Richard, who thought I was mad to try, but who would have loved the result, and for Jayne, who made it possible and enjoyable.

BLOOMSBURY WILDLIFE

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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29 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland

This electronic edition published in 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY WILDLIFE and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First edition published in 2010 in New Zealand By David Bateman Ltd.

First published in the United Kingdom 2010

This edition published 2021

Copyright Julian Fitter, 2010, 2021

Typographical design David Bateman Ltd, 2010, 2021

Copyright to photographs remains with the contributors.

(See the Photo Credits at the back of the book.)

Julian Fitter has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-4729-8127-1 (PB)
ISBN: 978-1-4729-8126-4 (eBook)
ISBN: 978-1-4729-8125-7 (ePDF)

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Title page image: Takahe

Main cover image: Kea, Julian Fitter

Front cover (clockwise from top left): Tree Weta, Tui De Roy/Roving Tortoise Photography; Tuatara, Julian Fitter; Archeys Frog, John Marris/Natural Sciences Image Library; Jewelled Gecko, G. R. Dick Roberts/Natural Sciences Image Library; Humpback Whale, Tui De Roy/Roving Tortoise Photography; Mt Cook Lily, Richard Chambers

CONTENTS

In this second edition, I must acknowledge those who made the first edition possible, starting of course with the main actors, the amazing and varied native wildlife of Aotearoa New Zealand. Thank you for being so patient and understanding. I hope that in some small way, this book may help to save some of you from the ravages of humankind and our accompanist, climate change.

Starting this book with a very modest knowledge of New Zealand, I have inevitably asked for and received help from many people and institutions. Thanks first to the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhaifor all the help, seen and unseen, and for making so many areas accessible and enjoyable. Also to the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society for being such a great champion and supporter of the natural environment.

For the first edition, I sought help, information and guidance from many people, among them Jessica Beever, Trent Bell, Hugh Best, John Braggins, Thomas Buckley, Trish Fleming, Graeme Jane, Larry Jensen, Dave Kelley, Brian Lloyd, Peter Newsome, Kelly Ross, Dave Row, Margaret Stanley, Rupert Sutherland, Maggie Wassilief, Janet Wilmshurst and Hugh Wilson. My apologies to anyone whom I have missed. Many have helped me along the way and all contributions, even those that were small, have been invaluable. With this second edition the internet has been a very valuable tool, so my thanks to all those who provided online information, and, in particular, the Department of Conservation, its website and the booklets available therein.

It is the photos that make the book, and as such I owe a big thank you to Tui De Roy, Mark Jones, Steve Woods and Peter Smith from NSIL, for allowing the use of their photographs at very reasonable rates. My thanks to Tui also for introducing me to New Zealand in the first place.

As with the first edition, Tracey Borgfeldt has played a big part in updating the original information, and getting the new sections on freshwater fish and places to visit into order, and ensuring that the latter is easy to access and use. In this post-Covid age, don't go to some tourist beauty spot and queue to take a selfie.