The wild and remote Snares Islands, 105km south-southwest of Stewart Island, are usually home only to a vast array of birds and sea life. In late 2013 the islands saw the arrival of four lucky Te Papa scientists to carry out a range of seabird and plant research projects.
Watch the video below and find out more about the wildlife on the islands, from birds found nowhere else on Earth to a flourishing seal colony. And, there are penguin chicks! You can take a glimpse into this unspoilt New Zealand landscape, rarely seen by anyone other than Department of Conservation staff and research scientists.
Read our Snares Islands blogs to find out why our scientists visited the islands and more about the research they undertook.
This video was filmed as part of Expedition Snares Islands, a Science Live episode live-streamed in March 2014.
Watch Science Live – Expedition Snares Islands

More from Science Live
Science Live is Te Papa’s programme of live science discussions, demonstrations and real life science – freely available for you to watch online. Join in the conversation or ask Te Papa scientists your questions on Twitter and Te Papa’s blog. You can find out how scientists defrost a colossal squid, the world’s largest invertebrate, discover more about Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique landscapes such as the remote Snares Islands and get up close with wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.
- Watch Science Live videos on YouTube
- Read Science Live blogs for an in-depth look at the topics
- Join the discussion on Twitter #sciencelivetepapa