Curriculum links
Learning areas
Which strands will it fit with?
- Science – Nature of Science, Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond
- Social Studies – Place and Environment, The Economic World
Key Competencies
Participating and contributing, Thinking, Using language, symbols, and texts
Levels of achievement
Levels 2–4
Year group
Years 3–9
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Which topics of study can it support?
• New Zealand Environment
• New Zealand Flora and Fauna
Where do I find it?
• Blood Earth Fire – Whāngai Whenua Ahi Kā, Level 3
• Lost? Ask a Te Papa Host.
How long might this take?
• Allow 5–10 minutes.
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Why should I take my class to visit this?
• To help students understand why we have strict border control in New Zealand.
• An opportunity for students to use problem-solving and investigative skills.
• A fun interactive space for students and teachers to explore and enjoy.
What is there to do there?
• Walk through the orange ship container and pretend you are a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) inspector. Your mission is to search the crates, boxes, and suitcases for dangerous plants and animals that may have found their way on board. You must find them before they escape and invade our country!
• Look at the strange names on the various packaging in the container, eg Manky Mangoes.
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What should I know about this?
• It is recommended that only 5–10 students at a time are in the container. (Objects nearby relate to the topic that the students waiting can visit.)
• There are nine invaders to be found in the containers. These are identified by their accompanying labels, but look carefully because there are other invaders in the containers without labels.
• Some examples of ‘invaders’ that are prevented from getting into Aotearoa by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) include:
• Fruit fly maggots – the fruit fly is an established pest in neighbouring countries and can wreck crops. It would take only one infected mango to introduce the pest to New Zealand! This would have a disastrous impact on our fruit exports.
• Bats can carry infectious and deadly diseases.
• Spiders could be poisonous and threaten local wildlife. The very poisonous black widow has been stopped at New Zealand’s borders in the past.
• Some plants are poisonous and can invade native bush. They can also be a danger to people if they have sharp spikes and thorns.
• Termites chew through wood, furniture, homes, and forests.
• Some beetles are wood eaters; they eat through houses and trees.
• Mosquitoes carry diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever. These diseases are widespread in hotter parts of the world.
• The greatest risk to New Zealand’s economy is foot-and-mouth disease, which is prevalent in many countries and can survive for long periods in meat products. An outbreak would immediately put a stop to our valuable exports of meat and animal products.
• Empty sea and snail shells – they may still contain eggs.
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Possible topics for discussion
• What did you find? How are these things harmful?
• Why is it important for containers like this to be checked before coming into New Zealand?
• Can you name some things in our natural environment that need to be protected from possible invaders?
• Has anyone visited another country, and then had their luggage checked when they came back into New Zealand? Why does this happen?
• Did you notice some unusual package labels? Why do you think they had such funny names?
• Can you think of any ways to assist the MAF inspectors with their job of protecting our natural environment?
• New Zealand relies on imports and exports for business. What effect do you think strict border controls have on New Zealand businesses?
• Over 400,000 containers land in New Zealand every year. Do you think it’s possible to search every one as thoroughly as the container you just searched?
• Do you think other countries help in the protection of New Zealand’s bio-security?
• Do you think it is difficult or easy to protect New Zealand’s borders?
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Further information
- The number of sea containers arriving in New Zealand has increased by approximately 180 per cent over the last 12 years, with over 260,000 full and 160,000 empty containers imported during 2001–02. Over 95 per cent of empty containers and 97 per cent of loaded containers arrive with certificates stating that the interior of the container is free from contamination. All of the uncertified containers are internally inspected by MAF before leaving the wharf. Of the certified containers, 10 per cent are selected at random and inspected to verify the accuracy of the certificate.
- Tai Awatea | Knowledge Net, Te Papa’s online database, available at Te Papa and from the website.
- Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) website: www.maf.govt.nz
Related objects
Within Blood Earth Fire – Whāngai Whenua Ahi Kā
- ‘Arrivals board’ – similar to those you see at the airport. It lists where and when species have been introduced to New Zealand.
- ‘Survivor’ – a fun touch-screen computer interactive where the player becomes an ‘alien’ moving to a new planet. The player has to decide what species they would like to take with them to help them in this new environment. However, they discover that the survival of their introduced species will probably have a negative impact on the species native to the new planet.
- ‘The land that was’ – this is a series of dioramas with taxidermic and model animals, mostly birds. Hear what our environment may have sounded like hundreds of years ago, before humans came to New Zealand.
- ‘Creeping, slithering, and crawling in’ – some species that have found their way into New Zealand, and that MAF continue to look out for.
NatureSpace Discovery Centre on Level 2.
Bush City, outside, accessible through Te Papa Cafe, Level 1, or across the bridge at the end of Mountains to Sea, Level 2.
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