Beyond the Coast…

New Zealand Post will issue a set of 12 Stamps on Marine life on 4 May 2011.From snapper and petrels to crustaceans and eels, the range of marine life that enjoys New Zealand waters is staggering. The wonderful set of stamps are self adhesive

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Date of Issue : 4 May 2011

New Zealand’s varied marine animals are brilliantly portrayed in this vibrant stamp issue: Beyond the Coast. The beautiful artwork was inspired by the Poor Knights Islands, which lie 23 kilometers off New Zealand’s Tutukaka coast in the upper North Island. A total marine reserve and nature reserve, these 11-million-year-old islands are rich with incredible marine life.

The following species can be found on this vibrant stamp sheet (from top to bottom):

Royal albatross, humpback whale, white-faced storm petrel, john dory, yellowfin tuna, kingfish, hammerhead shark, hapuku, demoiselle, pink maomao, snapper, arrow squid, Lord Howe coralfish, sandager’s wrasse, orange roughy, king crab and yellow moray eel.

New Zealand’s 15,000 kilometers of coastline are home to magnificent coves, bays, harbors, sounds and fiords. However, beyond this irregular coastline lies a roughly 4.3 million square kilometer exclusive economic zone that hosts an array of unique marine life. More than 15,000 species are known to live there, of which many are migratory. New Zealand's isolation means that a large number of these species are unique to this island nation, and scientists believe that many more have yet to be found.

: New Zealand Post