New Zealand Wildlife Photos (Part 1 of 2)

Below are some wildlife photos that I took on a recent trip to New Zealand. New Zealand has an amazing diversity of bird life. It has no native land mammals, other than introduced species (many of which are pests, such as the possum). However there are a few bats, as well as seals, dolphins and whales. New Zealand has few reptiles and amphibians, but the most notable is the extraordinary Tuatara. Stay tuned for Part 2!

A native skink (lizard) at the Wellington Zoo

A native parrot

 A native skink at the Wellington Zoo

Shags at the Royal Albatross Colony, Dunedin

Royal Albatross nesting, Dunedin

Mother and baby gull

Baby gulls waiting to be fed

Sleeping Seals in Milford Sound

Dolphins swimming

New Zealand Kia (alpine parrot), Milford Sound

For more on New Zealand wildlife, see A Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand (Princeton Pocket Guides) or Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand or New Zealand Wildlife (Bradt Travel Guide). 

A learned a long time ago that zoos are a great way to see the local wildlife in any country. Many zoos (outside the US) specialize in local wildlife collections. Wellington Zoo has fantastic enclosures with local birdlife (including a walk-through Kiwi enclosure), Tuatara, native lizards and insects like the Weta. 

Need to book your New Zealand hotels? I recommend Agoda for the lowest hotel rates world-wide.

Visit Tourism New Zealand’s website for more information too: www.newzealand.com.

Stay tuned for more photos!