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Below are some talking points and activities to pass the time, all relating to today’s video.

Talking points

Discuss the ideas presented in the video with your family—at home or over video conferencing. Find ways to involve as many people as possible, especially those who you know are isolated by the lock-down.

• We saw deep valleys, waterfalls and tall mountains—do you like the scenery at Fiordland? Would you like to visit there? How about live there? Why?
• In Fiordland the water is sheltered from currents and tides, so incoming fresh water sits on top of salt water, instead of getting mixed up evenly. This makes the marine life here quite unique. Which creatures did you notice that you haven’t seen before?
• The Fiordland crested penguin chooses to nest in the bush, often under rocks bushes or tree roots. They have a number of behaviours such as porpoising, so they can come up to breathe while maintaining a fast swimming speed. What did you think was appealing or interesting about this species?
• Why do you think the underwater areas where coral grows are known as Fiordland’s “china shops”? How could humans hurt these china shops and how do you think they might be protected?
• Fiordland is also known as Ata Whenua, the Shadowlands. How did you see species working around the lack of sunlight in the wintertime? Could the cooler temperatures become attractive to other species in the future, as more northern seas warm, and what impact would that have on the Fiordland ecosystem?

Get Creative

NZGeo reader Lucia Gamarano has been busy drawing portraits of her family members. We think this is a great idea—we love your work, Lucia!

Can you draw a portrait of someone in your family? Send us in a photo of your portrait and we’ll share them on our website.

Send us a picture of your portraits!