Taiaroa Head on New Zealand's Otago Peninsula

Taiaroa Head

Location:  Otago Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand

The Otago Peninsula juts eastward from the city of Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island.  The cape at the tip of the Peninsula is known as Taiaroa Head.  The lighthouse there was first built in the mid-nineteenth century.  It's a very picturesque spot, don't you think?

Taiaroa Head is a nature preserve.  A large number of seabirds nest in the area.  Notably, it is home to a breeding colony of Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi), the world's largest seabird species. In fact, the Royal Albatross colony at Taiaroa Head is said to be the only mainland breeding colony for any albatross species found in the southern hemisphere.

The waters around Taiaroa Head are home to several species of marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migratory whales.  A few years ago I wrote a piece on my ocean blog, The Right Blue, about an encounter with New Zealand Fur Seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) at Taiaroa Head (with photos). Here's the link to that post about male fur seals at Taiaroa Head.