Natural History
There is a diverse flora and fauna on the Otago Peninsula. Avafauna observed include the endangered Yellow-eyed Penguin, Megadyptes antipodes, Little Blue Penguin, shags, Jewelled Geckos and the Royal Albatross. Seal and sea lion colonies have regenerated during the 20th century. A number of New Zealand Fur Seals and Hooker's Sea Lions currently breed around Taiaroa Head. Southern Elephant Seals and Leopard Seals are also known to occur.
In 1975 a whale was seen in Otago Harbour for the first time since the whaling days and the number of sighting of larger whales in this area is increasing. Southern Right Whales, the primal target species for shore-whaling, were hunted to almost extinction, but are slowly recovering now and can be seen off Otago coast close to shore in their migration season, along with Humpback Whale. Other Baleen Whales that have been confirmed in the area in recent days include Blue Whales and Minke Whales. Several species of dolphins or small whales also occur constantly around the peninsula: Dusky Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, and endangered Hector's Dolphin. Orca, the killer whales, are occasionally seen. Sperm Whales, Pilot Whales and some species of beaked whales can be found further offshore and rarely stranded.
Read more about this topic: Otago Peninsula
Famous quotes containing the words natural and/or history:
“Mediocre people have an answer for everything and are astonished at nothing. They always want to have the air of knowing better than you what you are going to tell them; when, in their turn, they begin to speak, they repeat to you with the greatest confidence, as if dealing with their own property, the things that they have heard you say yourself at some other place.... A capable and superior look is the natural accompaniment of this type of character.”
—Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863)
“I believe my ardour for invention springs from his loins. I can’t say that the brassiere will ever take as great a place in history as the steamboat, but I did invent it.”
—Caresse Crosby (1892–1970)