New Zealand's plants and animals have developed during 80 million years of isolation. These islands, fragments from the super continent of Gondwana, have witnessed the evolution of species so distinctive that scientists have described New Zealand as the closest one can get to studying life on another planet.

High percentages of New Zealand's indigenous species are endemic (found only in New Zealand). This is remarkable internationally. Britain, which has been separated from continental Europe for just 10,000 years, has only two endemic species: one plant and one animal. Yet around 90 percent of New Zealand's insects and marine molluscs, 80 percent of trees, ferns and flowering plants and 25 per cent of bird species, all 60 reptiles, four remaining frogs and two species of bat are found nowhere else on Earth.

This country was one of the last places on earth to be settled by humans. When they eventually arrived around 1000 years ago, the impact on indigenous species was profound. Many became extinct and around 1000 more continue to be threatened by the destruction of habitats, animal pests and invasive weeds. The first casualties were New Zealand's larger bird species, including all 11 species of the giant flightless moa.

By around AD1600 up to a third of their forest habitat had been burned and replaced by grasslands. Hunting and loss of habitat took care of another 23 land-based native bird species, including the giant Haast's eagle. The arrival of Europeans and their animals in increasing numbers from the middle of last century saw another third of New Zealand's forests converted to farmland and the extensive drainage of wetland habitats.

While ongoing habitat loss is a serious problem, the biggest threat now is introduced weeds and animal pests. The most damaging animal pests include possums (around 70 million), stoats, feral cats, rats, deer and goats. The Department of Conservation wages an ongoing battle to keep pest numbers under control costing the New Zealand public millions of dollars a year.

This information was taken from the Department of Conservation website - visit www.doc.govt.nz if you would like to learn more.