No leaf or twig greens the harsh surface of the islets that these birds call home. The only abundance here is rock, seabird, ocean and sky. Fur seals once numbered in the tens of thousands, but were almost exterminated by sealers nearly 200 years ago, and have not yet fully recovered. Now DOC extends high protection to these bleak islands and their untamed inhabitants, allowing perhaps one or two landings a decade.
Joseph Hatch was one of New Zealand's most tenacious entrepreneurs. He set up the southern-most steaming works in the world and the oil it produced brought significant wealth, first to Invercargill, then to Hobart. It was just a pity that Hatch, who listed his occupation as "oil factor", meaning oil agent, chose to extract that oil from penguins.
A mantle of snow shows the tracks of travelling Adèlie penguins heading towards their colonies for the summer breeding season. Only at this time of year do these hardy birds come ashore. The rest of their lives is lived out among the pack ice that surrounds Antarctica.
Granite citadels stud the seaward face of the Ruggedy Mountains, in north-west Rakiura/Stewart Island, an area as grand and remote as any in the country. Almost all of New Zealand's third island is wilderness—unbroken swathes of forest or shrubland which run from summit to coast. In recognition of its unspoiled landscapes and biological uniqueness, most of the island is being preserved as a national park—a development many islanders view with mixed feelings.
Maori call them "te manu huna a Tane," the hidden bird of Tane, god of the forest. Once they were so abundant that settlers complained their shrill cries kept them awake at nights. Not any more. Kiwi, the unofficial emblem of the nation, are losing in a tussle for survival within the very forests that were once their stronghold. But a concerted programme by biologists, wildlife centres and public-spirited citizens seeks to turn the tide for these Secretive and Peculiar birds.
Scenes from a Falcon's Nest
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