Otago Daily Times illustrations editor Stephen Jaquiery took his camera for a walk on Ulva Island in the first week of this year.
Nestled in Stewart Island’s Paterson Inlet, Ulva Island is a short boat ride from Oban’s Golden Bay.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and supported by the Ulva Island Charitable Trust, it is one of the few predator-free sanctuaries in New Zealand.
Since the eradication of rats, Ulva Island is now home to rare and endangered birds, including the South Island saddleback, the yellowhead, rifleman, the Stewart Island robin and the Stewart Island brown kiwi.
A figure-eight network of pathways allows easy access to explore the pristine bush and bountiful birdlife.