Date of Issue : 6 July 2011
New Zealand Post recognizes that just as the native endangered flightless birds need help in order to thrive, so too do the children that attend Health Camps around the country. It is for this reason that three of them feature in 2011's Children's Health stamps. These are two gummed stamps and one self-adhesive stamp.
As a supporter of Children’s Health Camps since 1929, New Zealand Post is proud to lend a hand once again with the 2011 Children’s Health stamp issue. Te Puna Whaiora - the New Zealand Foundation for Child and Family Health and Development - specialises in helping at-risk children aged five to 12 to overcome barriers to healthy lifestyles. The 10-cent surcharge on each stamp in this issue goes directly to Te Puna Whaiora's seven Children’s Health Camps throughout New Zealand, each playing a crucial role in helping children and their families in times of need.
The flightless birds featured on the stamps are also in need of love and support. The kiwi, kākāpō and takahē were all once more abundant and widely distributed throughout New Zealand than they are today. It’s only through the ongoing help of conservation programmes that people are now able to enjoy these unique and precious birds.
The individual stamps in this issue are as follows:
Kiwi - 60c + 10c surcharge (gummed)
Easily identified by its long beak, round body and hair-like feathers, this nocturnal bird belongs to a group of birds called ratites and has been adopted as one of New Zealand's most national symbols. This stamp features the brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), one of five species of kiwi.
Kākāpō - $1.20 + 10c surcharge (gummed)
The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) claims the titles of the heaviest parrot in the world, as well as the only flightless parrot. Unfortunately for the kākāpō, this rare bird alerts predators such as stoats to its presence due to its distinctive musty odour.
Takahē - 60c + 10c surcharge (self-adhesive)
With its blue and green feathers, red beak and stout legs, the takahē looks very similar to a pūkeko - only much bigger. The largest living member of the rail family, the takahē spends most of its days looking for nourishment in grass stalks, fern roots and insects.
The collection also includes a takahē-shaped miniature sheet to remind us that with some support and encouragement both these birds and struggling children can emerge as stronger individuals.
: New Zealand Post
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