Before Northland had fully recovered from the exceptional rains of March the exceptional rains of July arrived. More than 100 mm fell in less than 24 hours over a large part of Northland and in places more than 200 mm arrived. Kaeo, for example, had 272 mm and Puhipuhi 216 mm, while Whangarei Airport had […]...
Welcome to the “Science Round-up”, the first of what is anticipated to be a regular summary of interesting science stories relevant to New Zealanders. There are many worthwhile articles published each week in scientific journals, but where can they be found? In this first column I will attempt to answer that question. Access to current […]...
An otter with a serious toothache mews plaintively on the operating table. No one likes a trip to the dentist, including this mustelid. But while it may sense the impending tooth extraction needed to relieve its pain, what it does not know is that it is one of the first patients to be treated in […]...
Moriori gave the Chatham Islands the name Rekohu or “misty skies”, a most appropriate name since cold water from Antarctica meets a warm current from the north to produce a lot of mist in the area. But this mixing of waters produces more than mist—a great wealth of marine life that the Moriori used as […]...
In this issue you will find meat and spuds—natural history and geographical stories—plus some exotic spices (jack fruit and saffron with your roast anyone?). One article in particular might seem to be slightly left-of-the-geographicfield: we poke a bony finger at the subject of death, that pesky thing occurring just prior to litigation over an estate. […]...
The renaissance man of Karori...
These recent books will be little read but much listened to. Recordings of readings will be distributed by the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind’s talking book service among the 5600 people throughout the country whose eyesight no longer allows them to enjoy a book in the normal way....
Each summer, tens of thousands of holidaymakers flock to the ocean beaches and saltwater estuaries of Whangamata to enjoy this popular aquatic playground. All the while, tensions, acrimony and debate over the use of those attractions bubble just under the surface....
Angel-tongued and devil-faced—kokako is one of our rarer and most striking birds. Two species once flourished: an orange wattled South Islander, declared extinct in 2004, and the blue wattled North Islander. With resurging numbers (now exceeding 600 breeding pairs), conservationists are optimistic that their haunting song will again flood through the forests of the North […]...
Just when you’ve come to terms with being old, you die! Some claim it a blessed relief, for others it is a valley of shadows. Why do we die? How do we die?...
