The Kakapo is a large, flightless, nocturnal and ground dwelling parrot native to New Zealand, they are critically endangered with a known population of only 154 birds. Its biggest threats are from predators and the Maori people who used to hunt them for food and for their valuable feathers which were used to make clothes. In an effort to save the Kakapo from extinction small populations of these birds have been caught and taken to live on remote islands where they are safe from predators, have plenty of food and can be closely monitored by researchers.
Mount Ollivier is a 1933 meter/6342ft New Zealand mountain named after climber Arthur Ollivier who died in 1897. Mount Ollivier was the first major climb of Sir Edmund Hillary whowas the first climber to scale Mount Everest in May 1953. After Edmund Hillary died of heart failure in January 2008 it was proposed to rename the peak Mount Hillary in his honour but this was opposed by Arthur Olliviers family. However a space probe flew past Pluto in July 2015 which discovered mountain ranges on Pluto's surface and one of them was called the Hillary Montes in honour of Edmund Hillary.
Hillary Montes on Pluto.
The Waitomo Glowworm Cave is a popular tourist attraction at Waitomo on the North Island of New Zealand. The cave is inhabited by Glowworms which hang silken threads from the ceiling and glow brightly to attract prey. This causes the cave ceiling to resemble a starry night sky making for a very beautiful sight and there are guided tours available to explore the cave. The cave is monitored by a scientific advisory group who monitor the air quality, temperature and humidity of the cave while also deciding how many tourists are allowed to visit per day.
Mount Everest is the worlds highest peak rising 8850 meters/29035ft above sea level and a combination of extreme altitude, avalanches, crevasses and bad weather make it hard to climb. In 1982 New Zealander Mark Inglis was stuck in a snow cave on Mount Cook, he was rescued but had his legs amputed below the knee due to frostbite. Despite this disability he successfully climbed Mount Everest in 2005 and had also previously climbed Cho Oyu, the worlds 6th highest peak becoming only the second double amputee to climb an 8000 meter peak.