Soapbox 3.0

This is a female paradise duck. The male has a black head, and is slightly smaller. These ducks do not have a very loud quack.

This small bird is native to many of the small islands surrounding New Zealand. This is because there are no predators like there are on the main islands. This bird used to be native to the main islands, but dogs, cats, stoats, possums, and the destruction of the native forests made it impossible for them to survive on the mainland. When these birds fly, they make a ki-ki-ki-ki-ki noise.

This is a ring-tailed lemur. These animals are not native to New Zealand, but were brought in to live in wildlife reserves and zoos. When they walk around, their tails stick straight up in the air!

This plant is one of the only plants that can grow in warm soil near hot pools and springs. It doesn’t have any flowers, but has been around for centuries. In fact, these plants formed most of the earth’s coal deposits by dying and being compacted for thousands of years!

This is an actual Kiwi plant, grown at the Maori tribal site. These trees are growing golden kiwis, and if you look close you can see them on the trees!

This canal and surrounding park is located right in the middle of Christchurch, a huge city. It has grass, trees, and a stream that serves as a habitat for various animals. It is a very diverse area for animals such as ducks, other birds, and fish. So yes, you can have animal habitats in the middle of bustling cities.

This otter just got out of his algea-rich swimming pond. The algea on his body is a form of plant that thrives in mineral-rich water and a lot of sunlight. Looks like he enjoys going undercover with that mustache.

This little puddle of water is rich in sulfur. This picture was taken in a hot springs park in Rotorua. Here there are several pools of very hot water, which is mixed with various Earth elements, boil to the surface and create large steam columns.

These are the same trees as the other picture. In just a few years they will grow large enough to be used for lumber and the lumber company will come back and plant more trees. It is a very environmentally safe way of harvesting trees for lumber while not permanently destroying animal's homes.

The trees in this picture were planted by people after the hillside had been cut down for use as lumber. They came back to plant these trees so they provide a safe habitat for the animals in the area as well as prevent the hillside from washing away. These types of coniferous trees, which are much like Christmas trees, are used because they grow fast.