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Snow Birds
No one knew that Kaikōura was home to the world’s only alpine-dwelling seabird until an amateur ornithologist following a rumour discovered its burrows high in the mountains. As the bizarre attributes and tenuous existence of the Hutton’s shearwater slowly came to light, Kaikōura took up the mantle of protecting its local bird—just in time to witness the destruction of its breeding grounds in the November 2016 earthquake.
Read more from our latest issue on nzgeo.com |
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Cyclgenesis is so 2016
Normally in January we watch the tropics for signs of dangerous storms that might threaten New Zealand. This year, however, we had two lows deepen explosively as they charged across the south Tasman Sea towards the South Island. Their rapid development occurred as they crossed an area of the ocean just east of the state of Victoria, where the sea-surface temperature was 3 to 4ºC warmer than average.
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Common filth
Fast, comfortable journeys to New Zealand pose a greater biosecurity hazard than slow, arduous trips, according to a new study from AgResearch. Soil stuck to boots or baggage can harbour foreign pests and diseases, some of which could damage New Zealand’s primary industries and native flora and fauna, but there’s a difference in risk depending on whether it arrives by plane or ship.
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NZGeoRadio
TAKAHĒ TRIUMPH – 40% BOOST OVER PREVIOUS HATCHING RECORD
The Department of Conservation is celebrating a record breeding season for the critically endangered takahē. DOC’s Takahe Breeding Programme produced 50 chicks this year, while 16 hatchlings were recorded in the wild population in the Murchison Mountains.
COULD SPIDER VENOM HELP STROKE RECOVERY?
A team of Australian researchers has found that the venom of one of the world's most dangerous spiders can protect brain cells after a stroke. The venom of the infamous funnel web spider contains a protein called Hi1a that can block the main ASIC pore, and shows promising results in studies on rats and on cultured cells in the lab.
Listen to the 7-minute programme on nzgeo.com
97 DEATHS FROM AIR IN ONE YEAR
Airborne substances such as pesticides and exhaust fumes accounted for 97 deaths in the agriculture sector in 2010, WorkSafe has found. Its review of agricultural sector data also revealed 670 people were hospitalised due to toxins released into the air.
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