The islands of New Zealand are home to an entirely unique menagerie of creatures. It is a place where the normal rules don't apply - the birds can't fly, a small, ancient lizard is a top predator, parrots play in snowy mountain meadows and penguins roam the streets. Seals battle on the beaches, albatrosses soar on the air currents and a monster movie plays out in miniature among the dense undergrowth of this lush, vital land.

• Semisi Hutchison