Strikingly beautiful birds perform aerial ballet before diving into the sea headfirst like arrows and submerging completely.
The cliff in Muriwai covered in Australasian Gannets was one of my highlights of New Zealand. It is a community with its leaders, families, emotions, and life. The place is a strategic choice – when the winds are strong, the waves wash the fish ashore. All gannets have to do is to catch the fish that no longer controls its swimming direction.
Before the arrival of humans, less than a Millennium ago, the lands of New Zealand were free of mammals, except those that could swim or fly. All ecological niches were occupied by insects or birds. Today the government strictly controls the population to protect the habitat in which they live.
Fun fact: New Zealand is the only country to have a government-appointed wizard
In the 20th century, New Zealand appointed an official Wizard of Christchurch. His duties included casting out evil spirits and cheering up the population. He was once invited to Australia to do a rain dance to break a drought, and it worked!
