Latest news with #BirdoftheYear
NZ Herald
28-06-2025
- NZ Herald
5 Best winter walks in New Zealand
Waiwhakāta, Lake Hayes Loop Track | Arrowtown, 8km loop One of the easier segments of Te Araroa, the Lake Hayes Loop Track is just 5km from picturesque Arrowtown on SH6. Stride out from Lake Hayes Pavilion or North Lake Hayes Picnic area, and on a still day you'll be rewarded with sublime views of snow-capped Coronet Peak reflected in the lake's mirrored surface. Bird watchers will want binoculars, as the 280ha lake is home to a variety of species, including the pūteteke, or Australian crested grebe made famous by John Oliver in the 2023 Bird of the Year – and with rebooted rabbit control, the flora and fauna are flourishing. Mostly on flat terrain, this is a comfortable winter walk, with some boardwalk sections. Cycling is also permitted but because the path narrows in places, please share with care. Lake Hayes is home to the pūteteke, a rare grebe made famous by a comedy show. Photo / QueenstownNZ Karangahake Gorge Walkways | Waikato Region The gorgeous Karangahake Gorge cuts through the Coromandel and Kaimai Ranges, with a choice of short strolls and longer hikes. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty book-ended by the mining towns of Paeroa and Waihī – pull over at the carpark beside Ohinemuri River and cross the impressive swing bridge. Information panels provide details of the walks, including the 2.5km Rail Tunnel Loop. Ninety minutes of easy walking through lush native bush, on this loop you'll see the crown battery stamper, built in 1892 for crushing quartz. You'll also find a 1100m tunnel, so hooray for phones with torches! Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is another beauty and at 7km takes about four hours and follows the Ohinemuri River, with gold mining relics dotted along the way. It features three bridges and a cascading waterfall – there's a swimming hole if you fancy a midwinter dip. The 2km return Windows Walk is also divine, with secret tunnels and windows cut through rock that offer perfectly framed views of the awa. It is part of the Hauraki Rail Trail Cycleway, so keep your eyes peeled for bikes. North Shore Coastal Walk, Long Bay to Devonport | Auckland, 23.5km Also part of Te Araroa, this 23.5km gem can be walked in its entirety from Long Bay to Devonportif you're feeling especially frisky. Alternatively, break it down into bite-sized sectors. Start at Devonport's ferry building and follow Te Araroa's markers by the foreshore heading towards North Head, before coming to Cheltenham Beach and Narrow Neck. Relish views to Rangitoto from the coastal path, then meander through Milford and Castor Bays. Interpretation panels bring history to life, as do relics from World War II, including tunnels and gun emplacements. Each beach has its own flavour, with Rothesay, Castor or Brown's ideal for lunch, then before you know it, you'll arrive at Long Bay Regional Park. Some sections are tide-dependent, with alternative road routes, but it's well signposted, and if you do the whole thing end to end, it takes about seven hours. Tokatoka Scenic Reserve Track | Northland, 0.5km An impressive landmark 17km south of Dargaville, Tokatoka looms beside the curving Wairoa River. A short walk that offers sweeping 360-degree views from the 180m summit, it's a steep ascent, so take time to catch your breath at the top and gaze out to the river, the distant Kaipara Harbour and the far-off ranges. It was once a volcanic plug, and it's awe-inspiring to stand on the remnants of an ancient eruption, on top of the world, looking down on creation, to quote Karen Carpenter. It has well-formed tracks and steps cut into rock – be cautious after rain, and if you're on a roadie, do check out Trounson's Kauri Park 55km to the north, as it's an unsung wonder for lovers of ancient trees.
NZ Herald
16-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Government hotline for overzealous road-cone use an overzealous embarrassment
Speed warnings still dominate our billboards – despite the reversal of lowered speed limits on many highway corridors. Photo / Mark Story No doubt talk-show host John Oliver has us in his crosshairs. The entertaining frontman of America's Last Week Tonight, known for his running gag on New Zealand's quirks (famously, our Bird of the Year competition in 2023), has described us as 'an endless well of joy'. Our Government's new
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Two Decades Of Ruffled Feathers - Bird Of The Year Turns 20
Forest & Bird's iconic Bird of the Year competition is celebrating its 20th anniversary – two decades of campaigning, squawking, strategising, and sparking real action for our native birds. What began as a humble poll by mailout is now a major moment in Aotearoa New Zealand's conservation calendar. Over the years, it has inspired classroom debates, political memes, and even international fame – all in the name of celebrating the weird, wonderful, and endangered manu of Aotearoa. To mark the milestone, Forest & Bird is launching a new book: Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers – A celebration of the birds of Aotearoa, written by award-winning journalist and former campaign lead Ellen Rykers. The book dives deep into the competition's backstory – the scandals, surprises, and the species that stole our hearts – while showcasing incredible illustrations from more than a dozen top wildlife artists. 'Bird of the Year has always been more than a popularity contest,' says Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki. 'It connects people to our precious wildlife and inspires action – from backyard trapping to conservation careers.' Each year, the competition shines a spotlight on birds in trouble. Some species, like the kakī black stilt, have soared from obscurity to national fame. Others, like the kākāpō, have used their Bird of the Year wins to rally support for urgent recovery programmes. 'People fall in love with these birds – and that's powerful,' says author Ellen Rykers. 'Once they know the story of the tūturuatu shore plover or the pekapeka-tou-roa long-tailed bat, they care. They act. They advocate.' And the fight's far from over. With 80% of New Zealand's native birds in trouble, Forest & Bird is using this anniversary to remind voters: your vote counts. Not just in the ballot box, but in the bush, in communities and at the decision-making table. Bird of the Year: Twenty years of ruffled feathers – A celebration of the birds of Aotearoa is published by Penguin Random House New Zealand and will be available for purchase from bookstores in late August. Royalties from the sale of each book will go to Forest & Bird to support its mahi. 2025 COMPETITION DATES Today Forest & Bird is also announcing the dates for the 2025 competition. Voting opens: Monday 15 September Voting closes: Sunday 28 September CAMPAIGN MANAGERS WANTED
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Once dubbed ‘world's ugliest animal', blobfish crowned New Zealand's Fish of the
KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — The blobfish, once labelled the 'world's ugliest animal', has now won New Zealand's Fish of the Year, beating contenders like the longfin eel and pygmy pipehorse in the annual competition. The Guardian reported that the deep-sea species, Psychrolutes marcidus, is found in the highly pressurised depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia. Unlike most fish, it lacks a swim bladder, full skeleton, muscles, or scales. Instead, its body is made of gelatinous tissue with a lower density than water, allowing it to float just above the seafloor. Believed to have a lifespan of up to 130 years, the blobfish is slow-moving and relies on an ambush strategy to catch prey. 'It sort of sits there and waits for prey to come very close and practically walk into its mouth before it eats them,' said Konrad Kurta, a spokesperson from the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, which organises the annual competition. The report further stated that the fish first gained international attention over a decade ago when a crew member on a New Zealand research vessel snapped a photo of the rarely seen species. Its unique, droopy appearance quickly became an internet meme. Kurta explained that while the pressure of deep-sea water maintains the fish's natural shape, bringing it to the surface causes decompression, making it appear distorted. 'Regrettably, when it is pulled up, that sudden decompression causes it to become all disfigured,' he reportedly said. While little research has been done on its conservation status, the blobfish's population and habitat are considered vulnerable due to deep-sea trawling, particularly for orange roughy. The Fish of the Year contest, launched in 2020 and inspired by the popular Bird of the Year competition, saw a record-breaking 5,583 votes this year, compared to 1,021 last year. The blobfish won with 1,286 votes, narrowly beating the orange roughy, which had backing from Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, and the Environmental Law Packard, a spokesperson for the Environmental Law Initiative, welcomed the blobfish's win, saying, 'From an ecosystem perspective, a win for blobfish is a win for orange roughy.' New Zealand is responsible for about 80 per cent of the global orange roughy catch, with environmental groups regularly calling for a halt to deep-sea trawling due to its impact on marine ecosystems. Other contenders in the competition included the longfin eel, a pygmy pipehorse, and several critically endangered fish said the contest aims to raise awareness of New Zealand's diverse marine and freshwater fish, with about 85 per cent considered vulnerable. 'That these fish exist is often the first step to getting people invested and interested in what's happening below the waterline.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'World's ugliest animal' is New Zealand's fish of the year
Don't judge a blob by its cover. Once dubbed the world's ugliest animal for its soft, lumpy appearance, the blobfish has made a stunning comeback: it was crowned this week as Fish of the Year by a New Zealand environmental group. The annual competition, held by the Mountain to Sea Conservation Trust, aims to raise awareness for New Zealand's freshwater and marine life. This year, the blobfish took home the coveted accolade with nearly 1,300 out of more than 5,500 votes cast. It's an underdog victory for the blobfish, which burst into mainstream notoriety as the mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society in 2013. The gelatinous fish lives on the sea bed and grows to about 12in (30cm) in length. They're mainly found off the coast of Australia and Tasmania, where they live at depths of 2,000-4,000 ft (600-1,200m). While the blobfish is known for its misshapen silhouette, in its natural deep-sea habitat it actually resembles a regular fish, with its shape kept together by the high water pressure. However, when caught and rapidly brought to the water surface its body deforms into its hallmark mushy shape - the same one that has earned it the reputation of being among the ugliest creatures the world has seen. Coming in second place was the orange roughy, a deep-sea fish in the slimehead family - known for the mucous canals on their heads. It was "a battle of the deep sea forget-me-nots," said Kim Jones, co-director of the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. "A battle of two quirky deep sea critters, with the blobfish's unconventional beauty helping get voters over the line." The orange roughy had appeared on track for the win, until a couple of local radio station hosts started a passionate campaign for the blobfish. "There is an up and coming fish, it needs your vote," Sarah Gandy and Paul Flynn, hosts of local radio network More FM, urged listeners on their show last week. "We need the blobfish to win." News of the blobfish's victory has been celebrated by the radio hosts. "The blobfish had been sitting patiently on the ocean floor, mouth open waiting for the next mollusc to come through to eat," the pair said. "He has been bullied his whole life and we thought, 'Stuff this, it's time for the blobfish to have his moment in the sun', and what a glorious moment it is!" Besides molluscs, the blobfish also eats custaceans like crabs and lobsters, as well as sea urchins. Instead of a skeleton and scales, the blobfish has a soft body and flabby skin. Nine of the ten nominees for fish of the year are considered by conservation groups to be vulnerable, according to the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. This includes the blobfish, which are vulnerable to deep-sea trawling. New Zealand also has a Bird of the Year contest, organised by conservation organisation Forest & Bird. The latest winner, crowned last September, was the hoiho, a rare penguin species. John Oliver's pick wins NZ Bird of the Century poll The ugly animals who need saving too
