We spent three days searching remote West Coast rivers before finally finding this remarkable Whio. What happened next was something none of us expected.
Instead of disappearing upstream, this little duck stayed with us and put on an unforgettable ten minute show, feeding, calling, preening and moving naturally through the river just metres away. It remains some of the most intimate and captivating wildlife footage we've ever been lucky enough to film.
For wildlife photographers and filmmakers, moments like this are incredibly rare. You can spend days, weeks or even months searching for an animal, only to catch a fleeting glimpse before it's gone. This Whio gave us something extraordinary, and this image captures one of those moments from an encounter we'll never forget.
The Whio (Blue Duck) is one of New Zealand's most unique endemic birds, found only on fast flowing, clean mountain rivers. Their specialised diet of aquatic insects makes them an important indicator of river health, but introduced predators and habitat loss have caused their numbers to decline dramatically. Today they remain one of New Zealand's most threatened waterfowl, with conservation efforts helping protect the remote rivers they still call home.
