December 2023 - January 2024

NHNZ Worldwide has recently added new 4K clips of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique animals and landscapes to its extensive archive library.  From glacier covered mountains to the rain-drenched native forests and rough frigid seas,

New Zealand has spectacular landscapes but is also a sanctuary for distinctive creatures. 

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Tucked in between one of the most treacherous stretches of ocean in the world and some of the highest mountain ranges in the southern hemisphere, it is a jurassic land full of rare endemic animals such as alpine parrots, shy penguins and ancient eels.  Surviving in a place where no parrot should be, we have footage of the world’s only alpine parrot, the kea, turning their natural inquisitive nature in all new directions!

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Below New Zealand’s tallest mountain range, the Southern Alps, lies the Okarito Lagoon, a mecca for birdlife.  Thousands of native birds visit Okarito, including the famous white heron, and our new footage includes the only place in the country where these white heron breed, performing elaborate courtship displays with elegant white plumage. This Westland region of New Zealand is like nowhere else on earth.  

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Isolated from the rest of the world with almost no mammalian predators, invertebrates flourish in New Zealand.  From giant nocturnal crickets and carnivorous centipedes to fishing spiders and glowing worms with silken traps, we watch them thrive, capturing all of their survival methods in 4K wonder.  

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New footage is now available of the homecoming of one of the planet’s rarest and most unique birds, the little blue penguin.  We also capture the spring-time northern royal albatross breeding.  Watching the fickle mating game amidst the dangers of the high seas makes for great viewing.  Down on the rocky beaches, we filmed a large New Zealand fur seal bullfighting for dominance.  Waving and stretching his neck out, he tries to drive other males out of his territory.  The reason for this aggression is soon revealed - female fur seals.  It’s breeding season for the seals too, and the males need to conquer challengers, control their territories and mate with as many females as possible during this time!

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We have added to our New Zealand collection by gaining access to our two wild ‘fortresses’ that were established to protect vulnerable native animals: Orokonui and Little Barrier Island/Te Hauturu o Toil.  One is a remote island protected by a moat of saltwater, the other a hilltop citadel surrounded by a predator-proof barrier.  Under this protection live the remnants of the birds, reptiles and insects that once dominated these remote islands before the arrival of humans and the tide of mammal predators they brought with them.  We also have rare birds like the hihi and kokako who are rebounding from the brink of extinction.  And we have some special footage on the flightless takahe, with two brand new chicks emerging from her nest.  These are incredibly rare additions to a population that was thought to be extinct only 50 years ago.  Without these sanctuaries they would be lost forever…

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In covering these fortresses we have filmed the beautiful jewelled gecko and the ancient reptile, the tuatara, which is the last of a 300-year-old order.  It was once a top predator of the forest floor, but egg-eating mammals like rats brought tuataras to the verge of extinction. Now, within this fortress, the population of tuatara is slowly rebounding and we are keen to share this progress!

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And don’t forget our recent additions of 4K Bornean Orangutan and Chinese wildlife clips, adding to our 15,000 hours of specialist footage and 50,000 online clips shot around the globe. Our site continues to grow its natural history content offering, so check out these new collections at footage.nhnz.tv, or contact our team directly by email at images@nhnz.tv.  Our renowned personalized service is offered by our experienced team of researchers and content specialists, led by senior archivist Jamie Thorp.

NHNZ Worldwide’s digital library offers specialist stock footage from around the world, sourcing and delivering premium specialist factual content to editorial and creative producers worldwide.  NHNZ Worldwide makes licensing easy with per second rates, no minimums, free research and screener downloads.  NHNZ Worldwide is a globally renowned production house with more than 350 international awards, including two Emmy Awards, the Wildscreen Panda Award and Best Documentary Series at the Asian Television Awards.