New Zealand Sheep

Although Captain Cook landed a ram and a ewe at Ship's Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound in 1773, these first arrivals did not survive. The missionary Samuel Marsden brought merino sheep to the Bay of Islands in 1814, but there is no record of whether they survived either. More sheep were brought in the 1820's but the first fully recorded flock arrived at Mana Island, near Wellington, on 30 March 1834. The 105 merinos were imported from Australia by John Bell Wright, who exported a few bags of their wool to Sydney the following year. This was the first export of wool from the colony.

The perendale breed of sheep was developed after experimental work at Massey Agricultural College in 1940, demonstrating its usefulness under unfavourable grazing conditions. It was bred from a Cheviot-Romney cross and requires less shepherding than any other breed of sheep. It is reared primarily for its meat.

The South Suffolk breed is a new breed produced in Canterbury by interbreeding the progeny of Suffolk-Southdown crosses. The first flocks were recognised by the New Zealand Sheepbreeders Association in 1940...

Kiwi Bird

The Kiwi Bird is a small, stocky, nocturnal and flightless bird. They are only found in New Zealand. The main habitat of the Kiwi is the forest floor. The Kiwi is the smallest of the flightless 'ratite' family. Other members of the 'ratite' family include the ostrich, emu, rhea and cassowary.

The New Zealand Kiwi Bird has whiskers and the bird can live up to 40 years. They are a nocturnal bird. The Kiwi is unusual to look at. It has a well rounded body and a long bill, with nostrils at the tip that are used to probe the earth for worms and insects. The Kiwi has small wings that end in a claw and no external tail.

There are three species of Kiwi. The brown kiwi is the apteryx australis, the little spotted kiwi is the aperyx oweni and the great spotted kiwi is the apteryx haasti. You will find the birds from sea level to alpine meadows in rainforests, scrub and native grasslands.

It is rare to see the birds on the New Zealand two main islands except in captivity although they are regularly seen on Stewart Island by trekkers...