In search of a lost world
It’s like finding yourself in another world and perhaps even another time. You discover that New Zealand is exotic and fantastically varied, from alpine to almost tropical, full of creatures which are about as bizarre as it’s possible to be, a land of giant gnarled trees a thousand years old, constellations of wild fairy lights in ferny dells, Jurassic monsters in the undergrowth, and bumbling creatures who come out at night to conduct strange rituals in the woods. This may sound like scenes from a fantasy movie, but this is the real natural magic of New Zealand. Its story has surprisingly ancient beginnings.
...one of the most isolated countries on Earth
Tectonic activity in the earth’s crust forced New Zealand to separate from the other southern continents around 80 million years ago which cut it off from the rest of the world, setting it off on a geological journey which would ultimately take it to the middle of the South Pacific where it became one of the most isolated countries on Earth. This extreme isolation has been the driving force behind its intriguing and unique natural history.
The problem was how to find and film it. The fertile, green, tamed and settled country you can see today is a far cry from an ancient lost world full of strange and bizarre beasts. Tracking down the wild side of New Zealand meant our teams had to travel the length and breadth of the islands which make up the country, capturing images of the world renowned landscapes, and tracking down some the most remarkable and strange beasts which live there.
