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Stephens Island Lighthouse
The Stephens Island / Takapourewa lighthouse is one of New Zealand's most powerful lights with a range of . Perched up, on top of Stephens Island, it guards Cook Strait and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, at the top of the South Island / Te Wai Pounamu.The light flashes white once every six seconds from a white cast iron tower. The light is operated remotely from Maritime New Zealand's Wellington office. It was first lit on 29 January 1894, and did not become automated until 31 March 1989, one of the last in New Zealand to be automated. Entry to the site and tower is by permit only, because it is part of the Stephens Island Nature Reserve, managed by the Department of Conservation. Today it is home to tuatara, no people and an urban myth about a cat named Tibbles. Early history The Māori name for the island, Takapourewa, originates from it once being covered in the takapou trees. Takapou – more commonly known as matipo – trees grew right down to the water’s edge, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephens Island (New Zealand)
Stephens Island () is at the northernmost tip of the Marlborough Sounds in the South Island of New Zealand. It lies two kilometres to the northeast of Cape Stephens, the northernmost point of D'Urville Island, New Zealand, D'Urville Island. The island is in size, and rises high from the sea. History The island was owned by the Ngāti Koata iwi but was taken by the government to build a Stephens Island Lighthouse, lighthouse in 1891. The Māori people, Māori called it Takapourewa ("around the tower") but explorer James Cook, Captain Cook renamed it Stephens Island in 1770 after Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet, Sir Philip Stephens, Secretary of the Admiralty. The island featured in local mythos as the place where a local lighthouse keeper's cat, named Tibbles, was claimed to have caused the extinction of Lyall's wren in 1894. However, this belief was an erroneous urban legend.Medway, D.G. (2004) The land bird fauna of Stephens Island, New Zealand in the early 1890s, and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet
Sir Philip Stephens, 1st Baronet (11 October 1723 – 20 November 1809) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons for 47 years from 1759 to 1806, when he was the last surviving Member of Parliament to have served under George II. In the late 18th century, he was First Secretary of the Admiralty and later a Lord Commissioner of the British Admiralty between 1795 and 1806. He was a friend of Captain James Cook and the Pacific atoll of Caroline Island is named for his daughter. Stephens Island in British Columbia and Port Stephens in New South Wales were named for him. Life Philip Stephens was descended from a family settled for many generations at Eastington in Gloucestershire. He was the youngest son of Nathaniel Stephens, rector of Alphamstone in Essex, and was born there. He was educated at the free school at Harwich, and at an early age obtained an appointment as clerk in the navy victualling office, as his eldest brother, Tyringham Stephens, had previou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds (Māori language, te reo Māori: ''Te Tauihu-o-te-Waka'') are an extensive network of ria, sea-drowned valleys at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. The Marlborough Sounds were created by a combination of subsidence, land subsidence and sea level rise, rising sea levels. According to Māori mythology, the sounds are the Bow (watercraft), prows of the many sunken waka (canoe), waka of Aoraki / Mount Cook#Māori history, legends and traditions, Aoraki. Overview Covering some of sounds, islands, and peninsulas, the Marlborough Sounds lie at the South Island's north-easternmost point, between Tasman Bay in the west and Cloudy Bay in the south-east. The almost fractal coastline has 1/10 of the length of New Zealand's coasts. The steep, wooded hills and small quiet bays of the sounds are sparsely populated, as access is difficult. Many of the small settlements and isolated houses are only accessible by boat. The main large port is Picton, Ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lighthouses Completed In 1894
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, rocks, and safe entries to harbors; they also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and the advent of much cheaper, more sophisticated, and more effective electronic navigational systems. History Ancient lighthouses Before the development of clearly defined ports, mariners were guided by fires built on hilltops. Since elevating the fire would improve visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice that led to the development of the lighthouse. In antiquity, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as a warning signal for reefs and promontories, unlike many moder ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lighthouses In New Zealand
This is a list of lighthouses in New Zealand. Maritime New Zealand operates and maintains 23 active lighthouses and 74 Beacon#For navigation, light beacons. All of these lighthouses are fully automated and controlled by a central control room in Wellington. Other lights, such as the Taiaroa Head and Bean Rock Lighthouse, Bean Rock lighthouses, are operated by local port authorities. There are also several decommissioned lighthouses not listed below, including the Manukau Heads Lighthouse, Manukau South Head, Boulder Bank, and Akaroa lighthouses. Many of New Zealand's earliest lighthouses were designed by marine engineer James Balfour (engineer), James Balfour and his successor John Blackett (engineer), John Blackett. The New Zealand Nautical Almanac lists all of New Zealand's active lighthouses and lights, along with their locations, characteristics and ranges. North Island South Island See also * Lists of lighthouses and lightvessels References External li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scarlet Fever
Scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'', a Group A streptococcus (GAS). It most commonly affects children between five and 15 years of age. The signs and symptoms include a sore throat, fever, headache, cervical lymphadenopathy, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic rash. The face is flushed and the Exanthem, rash is Erythema, red and Blanch (medical), blanching. It typically feels like sandpaper and the tongue may be red and bumpy. The rash occurs as a result of capillary damage by exotoxins produced by ''S.pyogenes''. On darker-pigmented skin the rash may be hard to discern. Scarlet fever develops in a small number of people who have strep throat or streptococcal skin infections. The bacteria are usually spread by people coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread when a person touches an object that has the bacteria on it and then touches their mouth or nose. The diagnosis is typically confirmed by throat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saddleback (bird)
The saddlebacks or tīeke (Māori language, Māori) are two species of New Zealand birds of the family Callaeidae. Both are glossy black with a chestnut saddle. Their taxonomic family is also known as that of the (New Zealand) "wattlebirds" and includes the two species of kōkako, and the extinct huia. All members of the family Callaeidae have coloured fleshy Wattle (anatomy), wattles on either side of the beak; the saddlebacks' are a vivid red. Taxonomy The genus ''Philesturnus'' was introduced in 1832 by the French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire to accommodate a single species, the South Island saddleback, which is therefore the type species of the genus. The name combines the honeyeater genus ''Philedon'' and the starling genus ''Sturnus''. The saddleback's common name derives from the demarcated brown plumage on its back, which resembles a saddle. The Māori name, , is onomatopoeic and comes from one of the species' calls: "ti-e-ke-ke-ke-ke". There are two spec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Bellbird
The New Zealand bellbird (''Anthornis melanura''), also known by its Māori language names korimako, makomako and kōmako, is a medium-sized species of honeyeater Endemism in birds, endemic to New Zealand. It has been the only living member of the genus ''Anthornis'' since the Chatham bellbird went extinct in the early 20th century. The bellbird's closest living relative is the only other New Zealand honeyeater, the tūī (''Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae''). The bellbird forms a significant component of the famed New Zealand Dawn chorus (birds)#New Zealand, dawn chorus of bird vocalization, birdsong, which was much noted by early European settlers. Exceptional singing abilities were already observed by Captain James Cook, who described its song as "like small bells most exquisitely tuned". Bellbirds measure about in length, with females weighing approximately and males . Males are mostly olive-green with paler underparts, and bluish-black wings and tail. Females are paler and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tūī
The tūī (''Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae'') is a medium-sized bird native to New Zealand. It is blue, green, and bronze coloured with a distinctive white throat tuft (poi). It is an endemism, endemic passerine bird of New Zealand, and the only species in the genus ''Prosthemadera''. It is one of the largest species in the diverse Australasian honeyeater family Meliphagidae, and one of two living species of that family found in New Zealand, the other being the New Zealand bellbird (''Anthornis melanura''). The tūī has a wide distribution in the archipelago, ranging from the subtropical Kermadec Islands to the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands, as well as the main islands. Taxonomy Europeans first encountered the tūī in 1770 at Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui, Queen Charlotte Sound on the north coast of New Zealand's South Island during James Cook, Captain James Cook's First voyage of James Cook, first voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Specimens were brought back to England an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Habitat Destruction
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease in biodiversity and species numbers. Habitat destruction is in fact the leading cause of biodiversity loss and species extinction worldwide. Humans contribute to habitat destruction through the use of natural resources, agriculture, industrial production and urbanization (urban sprawl). Other activities include mining, logging and trawling. Environmental factors can contribute to habitat destruction more indirectly. Geological processes, climate change, introduction of invasive species, ecosystem nutrient depletion, water and noise pollution are some examples. Loss of habitat can be preceded by an initial habitat fragmentation. Fragmentation and loss of habitat have become one of the most important topics of research in ecology as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myrsine Australis
''Myrsine australis'', commonly known as ''māpou'', red matipo, ''tīpau'', and ''mataira'' is a species of shrub within the family Myrsinaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand, found throughout both the mainland and offshore islands. Description ''Myrsine australis'' is a small shrub or tree, growing from 3–6 metres tall with short upright branches that create a compact crown. The trunk grows up to 20 cm in diameter, with the bark of the trunk and older branches a dark brown/black, whereas the juvenile branches are reddish, a distinguishing feature of this plant. The leaves are coloured pale green with a yellow tinge on the top surface, while the underside of the leaf is a paler version of this. Measuring 3–6 cm in length to 1.52.5 cm in width, the leaves are arranged alternatively on the stem and have a leathery texture. The leaf margins are normally wavy, however some uncommon forms may also have flat leaf margins. Each leaf blade is typically covered in round ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coastline Of New Zealand
New Zealand has of coastline making it the 9th longest in the world. The coastline borders the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The northern and southernmost points of the coastline on the two main islands are Surville Cliffs and Slope Point respectively. Cape Reinga in the north and Bluff in the south are often incorrectly given as the extremities of the coastline on the North and South Islands. Coastal development, such as buildings and marine farms, has become contentious in recent decades. Geography The geography of the New Zealand coastline is varied. As well as sheltered sandy beaches there are rugged, remote and cliff lined sections typified by the Fiordland area. Ironsand gives the beaches on west coast of the North Island a black colouration. Pine plantation were established on some of the coastal dune sections. Woodhill, Riverhead and Bottle Lake Forest are such examples. Marram grass was planted for dune stabilisation displacing native plants such as Pingao ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
