79-622: The New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition was a research expedition organised by the Department of Internal Affairs in 1949 to undertake research into elk (wapiti) as well as other biodiversity, surveying and geology in the Fiordland National Park . In 1947, American Colonel John K. Howard participated in a preliminary reconnaissance survey of Fiordland , South Island, New Zealand for elk (wapiti) . Wapiti are not native to New Zealand; they were introduced in 1905 from
158-524: A category ( Data Deficient ). The species as a whole, however, is listed as least concern . However, this was based on the traditional classification of red deer as one species ( Cervus elaphus ), including the wapiti. The common red deer is also known as simply red deer. Selected members of the red deer species group are listed in the table below. Of the ones listed, C. e. hippelaphus and C. e. scoticus may be junior synonyms . Mature red deer ( C. elaphus ) usually stay in single-sex groups for most of
237-400: A completely new flora, and there were several observations of accidental death of wapiti from falls or injuries in the rugged Fiordland terrain. About 45 wapiti specimens were collected during the expedition, and only the skin, a stomach sample and skull were collected from each animal. Preparator Lindsay boiled the skulls, cleaned and salted the skins, and sent the skulls "packed in moss" to
316-438: A distinctive roar during the rut, which is an adaptation to forested environments, in contrast to male American elk stags which "bugle" during the rut in adaptation to open environments. The male deer roars to keep his harem of females together. The females are initially attracted to those males that both roar most often and have the loudest roar call. Males also use the roar call when competing with other males for females during
395-421: A greyish-brown coat with a darker yellowish rump patch in the winter. By the time summer begins, the heavy winter coat has been shed; the animals are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. Red deer have different colouration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with grey or lighter colouration prevalent in the winter and more reddish and darker coat colouration in
474-760: A history of the department, The Mother of All Departments , the title of which reflects this status. The department's role has changed over time as new departments and ministries have been formed. The Colonial Secretary was the chief aide of the governor of New Zealand . Until 1848 his office dealt with all correspondence between the governor and his employees, and between officials and the public. Other early functions included inspecting sheep, running prisons, supervising government printing, licensing auctioneers, registering births, deaths and marriages, collecting statistics, and responsibility for gambling, fire brigades, constitutional matters (including running elections) and citizenship. Some of these functions are still duties of
553-597: A large and experienced team, and the support of several governmental departments. Howard first recruited the American expert on wapiti, Olaus Murie , to be scientific leader, and then set up a management committee to plan the expedition into Fiordland to study wapiti. The expedition was funded by a grant in 1948 from the New Zealand Cabinet to the Department of Internal Affairs , which called it The New Zealand-American Fiordland Expedition. The main aim of
632-434: A letter from a third party. Those under 16 need a guardian or parent to apply on their behalf. The Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationship Registration Act 2021 also added the option of a 'non-binary' marker for birth certificates, so non-binary individuals do not have to identify themselves as male or female. In mid-April 2024, the department experienced a backlog in processing New Zealand passport applications due to
711-483: A new species of wētā , Zealandosandrus fiordensis (now called Hemiandrus fiordensis ) was collected by Richard Dell on this expedition and described by John Salmon in 1950. Cameramen from the National Film Unit spent 10 days on the expedition making an eleven-minute film entitled, "Fiordland Expedition, 1949", which was released in late May 1949. The 16mm film was said to be 1000 feet long, "includes
790-687: A pair sent by Lord Petre in 1851 from his herd at Thorndon Park , Essex, to the South Island, but the hind was shot before they had a chance to breed. Lord Petre sent another stag and two hinds in 1861, and these were liberated near Nelson , from where they quickly spread. The first deer to reach the North Island were a gift to Sir Frederick Weld from Windsor Great Park and were released near Wellington ; these were followed by further releases up to 1914. Between 1851 and 1926, 220 separate liberations of red deer involved over 800 deer. In 1927,
869-414: A population decline. The red deer is the fourth-largest extant deer species, behind the moose , elk , and sambar deer . It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels , goats , and cattle . European red deer have a relatively long tail compared with their Asian and North American relatives. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between
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#1732766230990948-578: A sequence of scenic shots and others on camp life", and is stored in Te Papa's archive. Department of Internal Affairs The Department of Internal Affairs ( DIA ) ( Māori : Te Tari Taiwhenua ) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with issuing passports ; administering applications for citizenship and lottery grants; enforcing censorship and gambling laws; registering births , deaths , marriages and civil unions ; supplying support services to ministers ; and advising
1027-521: A short neck mane during the autumn. The male deer of the British Isles and Norway tend to have the thickest and most noticeable manes. Male Caspian red deer ( C. e. maral ) and Spanish red deer ( C. e. hispanicus ) do not carry neck manes. Male deer of all subspecies, however, tend to have stronger and thicker neck muscles than female deer, which may give them an appearance of having neck manes. Red deer hinds (females) do not have neck manes. Only
1106-607: A significant road traffic hazard. In Argentina and Chile, the red deer has had a potentially adverse impact on native animal species, such as the South Andean deer or huemul ; the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has labelled the animal as one of the world's 100 worst invaders. Red deer in Europe generally spend their winters at lower altitudes in more wooded terrain. During
1185-437: A specimen happened to be shot near camp. Additional camp stores therefore had to be replenished regularly. For the duration of the expedition from January through May 1949, stores were shipped via road from Invercargill using New Zealand Army trucks that transported them through the partially completed Homer Tunnel to Milford. From there, Alexander J. Black, captain of MV Alert, ran fortnightly trips by sea between Milford and
1264-445: Is about 95 to 130 cm (37 to 51 in). In Scotland , stags average 201 cm (79 in) in head-and-body length and 122 cm (48 in) high at the shoulder and females average 180 cm (71 in) long and 114 cm (45 in) tall. Based on body mass, they are likely the fourth largest extant deer species on average, behind the moose , the elk and the sambar deer . Size varies in different subspecies with
1343-509: Is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet , which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone. The antlers are testosterone -driven and as the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing. With the approach of autumn, the antlers begin to calcify and the stags' testosterone production builds for the approaching rut (mating season). European red deer antlers are distinctive in being rather straight and rugose , with
1422-417: Is used with all but the most determined of predators with great effectiveness. Aside from humans and domestic dogs, the grey wolf is probably the most dangerous predator European red deer encounter. Occasionally, the brown bear will prey on European red deer. Red deer are widely depicted in cave art found throughout European caves, with some of the artwork dating from as early as 40,000 years ago, during
1501-538: Is widely considered to be both flavourful and nutritious. It is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken . The red deer can produce 10 to 15 kg (20 to 35 lb) of antler velvet annually. On ranches in New Zealand , China , Siberia , and elsewhere, this velvet is collected and sold to markets in East Asia, where it is used for holistic medicines , with South Korea being
1580-584: The Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa ; being the only living species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia , New Zealand , the United States , Canada , Peru , Uruguay , Chile and Argentina . In many parts of the world, the meat ( venison ) from red deer is used as a food source. The red deer is a ruminant , characterized by a four-chambered stomach. Genetic evidence indicates that
1659-633: The Colonial Secretary's Office , which from the time New Zealand became a British colony , in 1840, was responsible for almost all central government duties. The department was the first government department to be established in New Zealand, and it became the home for a diverse range of government functions providing services to New Zealanders and advice to Ministers of the Crown. A former Minister of Internal Affairs, Michael Bassett , wrote
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#17327662309901738-467: The Department of Justice in 1950 before becoming an independent Electoral Commission in 2010. The Ministry of Industries and Commerce took over the statistics function in 1931; an independent Department of Statistics was created in 1957. The Department of Conservation was established in 1987 by merging the department's wildlife service with other smaller entities. The National Library of New Zealand and Archives New Zealand were separated from
1817-729: The Minister of Foreign Affairs in relation to the Peace and Disarmament Education Trust and the Pacific Development Conservation Trust. Red deer The red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart , and a female is called a doe or hind . The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia , Iran , and parts of western Asia . It also inhabits
1896-640: The State Forest Service introduced a bounty for red deer shot on their land, and in 1931, government control operations were commenced. Between 1931 and March 1975, 1,124,297 deer were killed on official operations. The introduced red deer have adapted well and are widely hunted on both islands; many of the 220 introductions used deer originating from Scotland ( Invermark ) or one of the major deer parks in England, principally Warnham, Woburn Abbey or Windsor Great Park. Some hybridisation happened with
1975-595: The Upper Paleolithic . Siberian cave art from the Neolithic of 7,000 years ago has abundant depictions of red deer, including what can be described as spiritual artwork, indicating the importance of this mammal to the peoples of that region (Note: these animals were most likely wapiti ( C. canadensis ) in Siberia, not red deer). Red deer are also often depicted on Pictish stones ( circa 550–850 AD), from
2054-605: The government on a range of relevant policies and issues. Other services provided by the department include a translation service, publication of the New Zealand Gazette (the official government newspaper), a flag hire service, management of VIP visits to New Zealand, running the Lake Taupō harbourmaster's office (under a special agreement with the local iwi ) and the administration of offshore islands. The Department of Internal Affairs traces its roots back to
2133-416: The mammals exhibiting homosexual behavior . Dominant stags urinate on themselves and follow groups of hinds during the rut, from August into early winter. The stags may have as many as 20 hinds to keep from other, less attractive males. Only mature stags hold harems (groups of hinds), and breeding success peaks at about eight years of age. Stags two to four years old rarely hold harems and spend most of
2212-469: The "throw back" top tines of the North American elk ( C. canadensis ), known as maraloid characteristics. A stag can (exceptionally) have antlers with no tines, and is then known as a switch. Similarly, a stag that does not grow antlers is a hummel. European red deer tend to be reddish-brown in their summer coats, and some individuals may have a few spots on the backs of their summer coats. During
2291-577: The Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (BDMR) . As a result of this bill, on June 15, 2023, the ability of people to change their sex on their birth certificate changed. Previously people were required to go through the Family Courts in order to do this, and provide information alongside their application with the Court that they had taken medical treatment that aligned with
2370-601: The British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia . Caspian red deer are found in the Hyrcanian Forests . In New Zealand , red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species. The first red deer to reach New Zealand were
2449-705: The Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival North American elk in size. Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts. The male (stag) red deer is typically 175 to 250 cm (69 to 98 in) long from the nose to the base of the tail and typically weighs 160 to 240 kg (350 to 530 lb); the female (hind) is 160 to 210 cm (63 to 83 in) long and often weighs 120 to 170 kg (260 to 370 lb). The tail adds another 12 to 19 cm ( 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) and shoulder height
New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-697: The Colonial Secretary's Office coordinated the relationship between central government and provincial government and, when the provinces were abolished in 1876, took on responsibility for the new system of local government. Over the twentieth century the department's functions would include cultural affairs, civil defence, a translation service, conservation, tourism, sport and recreation, support for ethnic communities, and support services for government ministers. Several new government departments have been formed by establishing new agencies around former Internal Affairs services. The electoral office moved to
2607-762: The Dominion Museum, Wellington, and then on to Murie in the United States. Te Papa has retained at least one of these specimens. The botanists on the expedition observed based on field evidence that the diet of wapiti and red deer in Fiordland comprised several preferred shrubs and trees, including Pseudopanax colensoi , Raukaua simplex , Griselinia littoralis , Coprosma foetidissima and Muehlenbeckia australis . Other shrubs, such as Schefflera digitata and Carmichaelia arborea were eliminated from all but inaccessible sites. Ruth Mason examined
2686-992: The Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer), and in 1950, at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling ; they formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk . Further substantial red deer herds originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest , the Peak District , Suffolk , Lancashire , Brecon Beacons , and North Yorkshire , as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England and Wales , and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by
2765-678: The UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland , the Lake District , and the south west of England (principally on Exmoor ). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines, as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks, such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey , in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. The University of Edinburgh found that, in Scotland, extensive hybridisation with
2844-403: The United States into Fiordland National Park . After that study, Howard was interested in organising a comparative scientific study of wapiti and their habitat in their native United States and their established range in Fiordland. Fiordland is well-known for its isolation, steep mountainous terrain, and notoriously bad weather, so such an expedition would need good communication, several camps,
2923-672: The aristocratic or poaching communities, and a licence was needed to sell it legally, but it is now widely available in supermarkets, especially in the autumn. The Queen followed the custom of offering large pieces of venison to members of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom and others. Some estates in the Scottish Highlands still sell deer-stalking accompanied by a gillie in the traditional way, on unfenced land, while others operate more like farms for venison. Venison
3002-513: The autumn, all red deer subspecies grow thicker coats of hair, which helps to insulate them during the winter. Autumn is also when some of the stags grow their neck manes. The autumn/winter coats of most subspecies are most distinct. The Caspian red deer's winter coat is greyer and has a larger and more distinguished light rump-patch (like wapiti and some central Asian red deer) compared with the Western European red deer, which has more of
3081-719: The beginning of the Middle Pleistocene around 800,000 years ago. These earliest forms belonged to the palaeosubspecies Cervus elaphus acoronatus . Other palaeosubspecies are known, including those belonging to C. elaphus rianensis from the Middle Pleistocene of Italy, C. elaphus siciliae from the late Middle and Late Pleistocene of Sicily. The International Union for Conservation of Nature originally listed nine subspecies of red deer ( Cervus elaphus ): three as endangered , one as vulnerable , one as near threatened , and four without enough data to give
3160-446: The closely related American elk ( Cervus canadensis nelsoni ) introduced in Fiordland in 1921. Along with the other introduced deer species, they are, however, officially regarded as a noxious pest and are still heavily culled using professional hunters working with helicopters, or even poisoned. The first red deer to reach Australia were probably the six that Prince Albert sent in 1860 from Windsor Great Park to Thomas Chirnside, who
3239-402: The closely related sika deer has occurred. Several other populations have originated either with "carted" deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts",
New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-768: The continent in the Atlas Mountains. As of the mid-1990s, Morocco , Tunisia , and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer. In the Netherlands, a large herd (about 3000 animals counted in late 2012) lives in the Oostvaardersplassen , a nature reserve . Ireland has its own unique subspecies. In France, the population is thriving, having multiplied five-fold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to around 160,000 in 2014. The deer has particularly expanded its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In
3397-436: The department holds concurrent roles as Chief Executive, Secretary for Internal Affairs, Secretary for Local Government and Government Chief Digital Officer. As at 7 July 2022: The department provides secretariat support for several entities including: The department serves 7 portfolios and 5 ministers. In addition, the department also has responsibilities to the Minister of Finance in relation to community trusts and to
3476-472: The department in the late 1990s but merged back in 2011. A standalone Ministry of Cultural Affairs (now the Ministry for Culture and Heritage , which in the present day also has responsibility for the sport and recreation portfolio) was established in 1991. The department briefly held responsibility for tourism from 1998 until 2000, when this was combined with other former Ministry of Commerce functions in
3555-409: The early medieval period in Scotland, usually as prey animals for human or animal predators. In medieval hunting , the red deer was the most prestigious quarry, especially the mature stag, which in England was called a hart . Red deer are held in captivity for a variety of reasons. The meat of the deer, called venison , was until recently restricted in the United Kingdom to those with connections to
3634-466: The early releases, but South Australia's population, along with all others, is now largely recent farm escapees. This is having adverse effects on the integrity of wild herds, as now more and larger herds are being grown due to the superior genetics that have been attained by selective breeding. Wild red deer are a feral pest species in Australia, do considerable harm to the natural environment, and are
3713-485: The expedition was to study the wapiti population in its breeding grounds in Fiordland. However scientists from other fields of study would also study other aspects of zoology, botany, geology, forest survey, survey and photography. In addition to three American scientists, the vast majority of members of the large interdisciplinary team included New Zealand scientists, photographers, surveyors, and field personnel. Forty-nine people are listed as being "official personnel" on
3792-602: The expedition were as follows: Other zoologists, botanists, foresters and geologists arrived later than 26 February, remained for shorter periods, and worked independently to the main expedition party. A survey of wapiti in the area covered by the expedition recorded 180 observations of wapiti, including 40 wapiti in the Charles Sound area, 75 in the Stillwater River area, 17 near George Sound, and 40 near Lake Te Anau. Based on these and other observations,
3871-584: The expedition's two main beachhead landing sites in Fiordland: Caswell Sound and George Sound . In early March, the expedition was also supplied by air drops from Queenstown to the upper Stillwater River camp. For example on 5 March, packages weighing c. 35 pounds were dropped by parachute from aircraft, one package on each of five trips. Some of the special supplies in each package that went above and beyond standard camp food included asparagus, coffee and Worcester sauce . The main dates of
3950-546: The expedition, but more than 60 took part in it. Only one of the 49 official participants was a woman, the New Zealand botanist, Ruth Mason . In early January 1949, Howard and the team of field personnel sailed on the MV Alert with most of the expedition gear from Bluff and Milford to a small camp that they set up at Caswell Sound. They prepared for the arrival of the scientific teams by unloading and packing stores and equipment, establishing camps, and cutting tracks for
4029-477: The first successful one. There may be several more matings before the stag will seek out another mate in his harem. Females in their second autumn can produce one or very rarely two offspring per year. The gestation period is 240 to 262 days, and the offspring weigh about 15 kg (35 lb). After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months. The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost one full year, leaving around
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#17327662309904108-616: The fourth and fifth tines forming a "crown" or "cup" in larger males. Any tines in excess of the fourth and fifth tines grow radially from the cup, which are generally absent in the antlers of smaller red deer, such as Corsican red deer. Western European red deer antlers feature "bez" (second) tines that are either absent or smaller than the brow tines. However, bez tines occur frequently in Norwegian red deer. Antlers of Caspian red deer carry large bez tines and form less-developed cups than western European red deer, their antlers are thus more like
4187-427: The gear to base camp. Other smaller camps were established on the Stillwater River (two camps), Leslie Clearing (one), Glaisnock River (two), and Henry Saddle (one); the expedition also used several Ministry of Works ' huts, including at George Sound, Lake Thomson and Lake Hankinson. Even though wapiti animals would be shot to make specimens of them, the expedition team only ate wapiti meat about six times, when
4266-520: The installation of computer system upgrades in March 2024 and increased seasonal demand. Standard passport processing took eight weeks while urgent passport processing took three days. The number of passports processed dropped from 38,000 in February 2024 to half that number in March 2024. On 14 May 2024, the department apologised for delays in wait times for processing passport applications. The head of
4345-459: The largest, the huge but small-antlered deer of the Carpathian Mountains ( C. e. elaphus ), weighing up to 500 kg (1,100 lb). At the other end of the scale, the Corsican red deer ( C. e. corsicanus ) weighs about 80 to 100 kg (180 to 220 lb), although red deer in poor habitats can weigh as little as 53 to 112 kg (120 to 250 lb). The males of many subspecies also grow
4424-430: The modern department, which gained its present name in 1907, but other functions eventually grew into standalone government agencies. As the department's functions have changed over time, there has become a growing acknowledgement that it carries responsibility for all government functions which are not substantial enough to justify a standalone organisation or do not fit well into any other existing departments. From 1853
4503-574: The new Ministry for Ethnic Communities in 2021. The department has also gained responsibilities that previously belonged to other agencies. In 2009 the department took responsibility for government technology services from the State Services Commission . The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector was transferred to the department from the Ministry of Social Development in 2011. In December 2021, Parliament passed
4582-478: The new Ministry of Economic Development , now the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment . The National Emergency Management Agency , which had been a business unit within the department since before World War II , was transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 2009. The Office of Ethnic Communities, originally a single part-time position within the department, became
4661-793: The primary consumer. In Russia , a medication produced from antler velvet is sold under the brand name Pantokrin ( Russian : Пантокри́н ; Latin : Pantocrinum ). The antlers themselves are also believed by East Asians to have medicinal purposes and are often ground up and used in small quantities. Historically, related deer species such as Central Asian red deer , wapiti, Thorold's deer , and sika deer have been reared on deer farms in Central and Eastern Asia by Han Chinese , Turkic peoples , Tungusic peoples , Mongolians , and Koreans . In modern times, western countries such as New Zealand and United States have taken to farming European red deer for similar purposes. Deer hair products are also used in
4740-608: The prominent peaks in the study area - sometimes twice - many of which had not likely been climbed before, and at one point they spent 5 weeks surveying without returning to base camp. Their efforts would greatly improved the detail of maps in Fiordland. Additional reports on the following topics were also written up: geology, climate, botany (including a list of plants observed and their abundance), forests, small introduced mammals (possums, rats, mice and mustelids), invertebrates, fish (freshwater and marine), birds, land survey, and opportunities for tourism. A number of scientific specimens
4819-534: The red deer, as traditionally defined, is a species group , rather than a single species, though exactly how many species the group includes remains disputed. The ancestor of the red deer probably originated in central Asia. Although at one time red deer were rare in parts of Europe, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, such as in the United Kingdom and Portugal, have resulted in an increase of red deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show
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#17327662309904898-445: The remaining members eat and rest. After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. The newborn calves are kept close to the hinds by a series of vocalizations between the two, and larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing
4977-482: The rest of the expedition party. The base camp for the expedition was established on the banks of the Stillwater River , about 6 miles from the small beachhead camp at Caswell Sound, which had storage tents, a laboratory, a cookhouse, a wireless, and even electric lighting. The field party hauled stores and equipment by land to Lake Marchant, and from there, prams with outboard motors were used to ship
5056-400: The rut on the periphery of larger harems, as do stags over 11 years old. Young and old stags that do acquire a harem hold it later in the breeding season than those stags in their prime. Harem-holding stags rarely feed and lose up to 20% of their body weight. Stags that enter the rut in poor condition are less likely to make it through to the peak conception period. Male European red deer have
5135-399: The rut, and along with other forms of posturing and antler fights, is a method used by the males to establish dominance. Roaring is most common during the early dawn and late evening, which is also when the crepuscular deer are most active in general. Female red deer reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. Red deer mating patterns usually involve a dozen or more mating attempts before
5214-597: The sex they wished to change on their birth certificate. With the BDMR bill, the process moved under the Department of Internal Affairs. It now only requires a statutory declaration in front of a qualified individual, and either a photo ID or an identity referee declaration, which is then sent to the Registrar-General and given approval. Children 16-17 can also apply, with their guardians consent, or alternatively
5293-409: The stags have antlers , which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. Antlers typically measure 71 cm (28 in) in total length and weigh 1 kg (2.2 lb), although large ones can grow to 115 cm (45 in) and weigh 5 kg (11 lb). Antlers, which are made of bone, can grow at a rate of 2.5 cm (1 in) a day. While an antler
5372-434: The stomach contents of 39 specimens from the expedition, which included "twigs, leaf fragments, and seeds", and found that there were between four and 21 different identifiable plants in each stomach sample. Griselinia littoralis was the most frequent and abundant plant found, with Nothofagus menziesii in second place, but several other trees and shrubs, as well as ferns, grasses, sedges were also able to be identified from
5451-427: The stomach remains. The land surveyors carried out a major triangulation of the study area of c. 100 square miles, but they could only use the theodolite on fine days, when the weather was clear. During the five months of the expedition, the team had only 15 (or possibly 17) fine days, yet they still managed to "provide height and position control for detailed mapping form aerial photographs". They ascended most of
5530-447: The summer, they migrate to higher elevations where food supplies are greater and better for the calving season. Until recently, biologists considered the red deer and elk or wapiti ( C. canadensis ) the same species, forming a continuous distribution throughout temperate Eurasia and North America. This belief was based largely on the fully fertile hybrids that can be produced under captive conditions. Genetic evidence clearly shows
5609-455: The summer. The European red deer is found in southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa, and Europe. The red deer is the largest nondomesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland . The Barbary stag (which resembles the western European red deer) is the only living member of the deer family native to Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of
5688-555: The time the next season's offspring are produced. The gestation period is the same for all subspecies. All red deer calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose their spots by the end of summer. However, as in many species of Old World deer, some adults do retain a few spots on the backs of their summer coats. Red deer live over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they live 10 to 13 years, though some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years. Male red deer retain their antlers for more than half
5767-427: The total number of wapiti in Fiordland was estimated to be between 500-1000 individuals. Red deer were found in similar or greater numbers and hybrids between the two closely-related species, which do not co-occur or hybridise in their native range, were also found. Murie noted that wapiti shifted their breeding season from September-October in the United States to March-April in New Zealand, they shifted their diet to
5846-1083: The various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea . The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe. Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. Large red deer stags, like
5925-833: The wapiti and red deer form two separate species. Another member of the red deer group which may represent a separate species is C. corsicanus . If so, C. corsicanus includes the subspecies C. e. barbarus (perhaps a synonym of C. e. corsicanus ), and is restricted to Maghreb in North Africa, Corsica , and Sardinia . A 2014 mitochondrial DNA study showed the internal phylogeny of Cervus to be as follows: C. elaphus ( European red deer ) [REDACTED] C. hanglu ( Hangul ) [REDACTED] C. albirostris ( Thorold's deer ) [REDACTED] C. nippon ( Sika deer ) [REDACTED] C. canadensis ( Wapiti ) [REDACTED] Rusa (outgroup) [REDACTED] Cervus elaphus appeared in Europe by
6004-401: The year, and are less gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. The antlers provide self-defence, as does a strong front-leg kicking action performed by both sexes when attacked. Once the antlers are shed, stags tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger, while
6083-437: The year. During the mating season, called the rut , mature stags compete for the attentions of the hinds and will then try to defend the hinds they attract. Rival stags challenge opponents by belling and walking in parallel. This allows combatants to assess each other's antlers, body size and fighting prowess. If neither stag backs down, a clash of antlers can occur, and stags sometimes sustain serious injuries. Red deer are among
6162-409: Was collected by the expedition scientists; for example, there are over 200 plant specimens at Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Allan Herbarium (labelled "N.Z. – American Fiordland Expedition"). Notable finds by the expedition included a cache of Māori adzes, two kākāpō , twelve species of Opiliones (of which most were new species), and up to twenty new species of spiders. The holotype specimen of
6241-545: Was starting a herd at Werribee Park , south west of Melbourne in Victoria. Further introductions were made in New South Wales , Queensland , South Australia , and Western Australia . Today, red deer in Australia range from Queensland south through New South Wales into Victoria and across to South Australia, with the numbers increasing. The Queensland, Victorian and most New South Wales strains can still be traced to
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