Exploring the Wildlife in New Zealand. Are they really wild?

As you may have seen in my previous posts, many of the stops we made in New Zealand were agriculturally based. I certainly did mind this, having a livestock interest. But those were not the only kinds of places we went to study human and animal interactions.

In the states, I know I love to visit the zoo. I grew up with the Toledo Zoo only 25 minutes away and have visited the Columbus Zoo while living in Columbus and attending Ohio State. I have always been interested in exotic animals and for quite some time, wanted to pursue a zoology degree. So, it is always a pleasure to see these wild animals when I can.

My group visited the Orana Wildlife Park in New Zealand. We learned about some of their native species like the Kiwi and Tuatara. We also saw some of the animals they have from around the globe.

You're Killing Me... Humanely?

Humans do not like to talk about death. No one looks at it gracefully, even though everyone and everything experiences it. In the animal industry, it is also looked down upon. I'm not just referring to euthanasia for overpopulated animal shelters putting to sleep puppies and kittens. I'm talking about harvesting livestock for food consumption.

I had never actually been into a processing facility until traveling to New Zealand. This was a completely new experience that not only enlightened me on some concepts I didn't understand before, but what the Kiwi culture values in processing meat. 

We went to the Alliance Group Meat Processing Pukeuri Plant. Because of risk that the public might misconceive what they see, we were unable to take any photos at the facilities. It isn't that they are trying to hide anything, but they want to maintain the integrity of their business.

This was the largest plant in the south island, processing 10,800 sheep, 560 slaughter cattle and between 500-2,800 veal calves per day. This is an expansive business and I determined their two top priorities: safety of their workers and animal welfare. (Reader, beware of descriptive content ahead.)

Oh Deer! A New Zealand Niche Market.

The U.S. is overpopulated with deer. These wild animals have a tendency of running out into the middle of a country road or being hunted by sportsmen and sportswomen in the fall and winter seasons. In New Zealand, there is a different market for the lean mammals.

Don answers questions about raising his trophy deer.

The OSU crew stopped at Deer Genetics NZ to learn about his business in raising red deer for trophy stags and velvet production. Don, owner of this profitable business, shared some secrets and facts to his success in raising the deer.

Come to a New Zealand sheep farm. 'Ewe' wouldn't believe it!

Wool is a hot commodity in New Zealand. So of course, we saw lots of sheep on our travels! However, not all these stops were on the itinerary. On day four, we had an unexpected delay when our bus pulled off the side of the road and would not start again. What luck, right? In fact, the best luck came from our professor seeing a sheep farm shearing some ewes that we drove past about one mile down the road.

We had to make a choice. Do we:

a) sit on the side of a highway for two hours awaiting someone from the bus company to help the situation?

b) take a little tramp (Kiwi term for hike) down the road to see if the sheep farmers will let us come on their farm?

Option b was selected!

After risking our lives walking down the highway that seemed to never end, 40 students arrived at this sheep farm. Now, think about if you were working and a large group of foreigners walked up to your farm or business and asked if they could get an inside view of your operation. Would you be caught off guard, uncertain of their intentions and possibly not let the group in?

Kia Ora, New Zealand! A trip of beauty and knowledge.

Kia Ora! Or, hello, I wish you good day! After a 10-day adventure, I made it home from New Zealand just in time for the holiday season. This trip was by far one of the most insightful, invigorating trips I have ever been on. From the food and culture to the landscapes and agriculture me and 40 students from Ohio State witnessed, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In the next few blog posts, I will elaborate on some specific things I learned during this study abroad. Until then, enjoy some of the photos I captured along the way. The biggest learning moment I had: always, ALWAYS carry an extra battery for your camera. I didn't and was lucky. Next time, I might not be!

Why not disconnect?

Photo from mashable.com

What is the purpose of social media? To stay connected with all your friends, relatives, peers, coworkers, professors, animals and long-lost Abominable snowman, right? It is nice to have the minute-to-minute updates from all the people and news sources in our lives. But sometimes, I think it is down right obnoxious, annoying and tiring.

There are many times I just want to disconnect for a while. It is refreshing to take a break from the hullabaloo of social media that can wear us down. Whenever I go home for a weekend or break, I try my best to keep my iPhone away so I can embrace the present people around me. And you know what? It is less stressful that way!