Why is the kiwi bird their national symbol?
The kiwi is so unusual; they are only found in New Zealand. And they are cute! They scuffle around with their big long beaks trying to find insects. What is the most colorful bird you’ve seen? The takahe, which are very rare birds. There are only 220 of them in existence. They are bright blue and green with bright orange beaks and red legs. They are about the size of a large chicken. Why are so many of these birds becoming extinct? Much of the forest in New Zealand has been cut down. That was a big problem. But then there have also been predators introduced into the country. The native birds evolved without mammalian predators. Many of the birds are flightless or poor flyers, so they are vulnerable to attack. Stoats, which are like weasels, ferrets, and wild cats and dogs are the chief predators. All of these animals are killing off the native birds. Top of Page Rainforests What is the average temperature in the rainforest in New Zealand? Temperatures now go up to 15 centigrade (Celsiu
