Wonderful nature in a hostile area

The southern kiwi isn’t the only surprising animal that lives in New Zealand. There are many species, which have adapted to the harsh climate of the archipelago, and have evolved there for millions of years. Thus it is possible to see parrots flying in the snowy peaks or penguins in the middle of the humid forest.

Among the most interesting insects of these native fauna is the weta, a type of giant locust that, to overcome the winter, allows itself to freeze in the ice for several weeks. The webworm is also great. To catch its prey, it spins long garlands of mucus that glow at night in the bluish light of its belly. They believe in a starry sky, which “flies” approach, get stuck in and devour alive.

Battle of the elements

Magnificent mountains, lush forests, a mighty ocean… This documentary shows the wild nature of New Zealand’s nature. New Zealand is located between latitudes 40 and 50 south, and is nicknamed the “Roaring Forties” because of the fierce winds that blow there, and it is the last landmass before Antarctica. The climate here is fickle, with frequent rain and snow. This battle of the elements, along with global warming, threatens glaciers and accelerates sea level rise.

Poetic music accompanies the sequences filmed at night and at dawn, under water and in the air, using a drone. Numerous accelerated segments show the evolution of the landscape from one season to the next in a rather startling fashion. Even if director Robert Morgenstern flies too fast on the issue of climate and its consequences for the ecosystem, his documentary offers a precious moment of amazement.