Cook Strait Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast, and runs next to the capital city, Wellington. It is wide at its narrowest point, and is considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. The strait is named after James Cook, the first European commander to sail through it, in 1770. In Māori it has the name "Raukawa" or "Te Moana-o-Raukawa". "Raukawa" may mean "bitter leaves". In Māori legend, Cook Strait
New Zealand flatworm plants. It has been suggested that they might thrive in parts of western Norway, southern Sweden, Denmark, Germany and northern parts of Poland, if they invade these regions. Similar invasions of other terrestrial planarians are occurring in many other parts of the world. For example, planarians of the genus "Bipalium" are widely distributed in North America, and planarians of the genus "Platydemus" on many islands in the Pacific. "Platydemus manokwari" has recently (2013) been found in Europe. New Zealand flatworm The New Zealand flatworm ("Arthurdendyus triangulatus") is a large land flatworm native to New Zealand. It can vary from 5