2001 Year of the Snake - Marine Reptiles

The Marine Reptiles issue featured six visitors to New Zealand waters comprising four sea-turtles and two sea-snakes. To celebrate the 2001 Year of the Snake - Marine Reptiles, a special miniature sheet was also produced incorporating the two sea-snake stamps.

Marine Reptiles

Sea-turtles and sea-snakes are widespread in tropical and sub-tropical seas, but are rarely seen in colder waters. In this country marine reptiles are most often found in northern New Zealand. Although few sightings are reported, marine reptiles are sometimes seen at sea, caught in nets or found sick, injured or exhausted near the shore line.

Sea-snakes 

Believed to be descended from a family of Australian land-snakes, sea-snakes inhabit the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. Although they have a dangerous reputation, sea-snakes tend to be curious rather than aggressive. They are usually venomous and should be treated with caution, however most bites happen on fish trawlers, when sea-snakes are hauled aboard with the catch.

The Banded Sea-snake visits New Zealand in the warmer months with fewer than 10 recorded sightings since 1880, while the Yellow-bellied Sea-snake is seen more frequently in northern New Zealand, although it is likely that many go unnoticed. Both are venomous.

Turtles 

Turtles have lived on earth for a very long time. The first turtle fossils date back to the Triassic period, a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, some 200 million years ago. There are approximately eight different species of sea-turtles in the world and they generally live in tropical seas.

The Leathery, Hawksbill, Green and Loggerhead Turtles are all found throughout the tropics near coral or rocky reefs or in shallow bays and lagoons. The Leathery Turtle, weighing up to 700kg and reaching 2.8m in total length, is the largest of all living turtles and the most commonly found in New Zealand waters. The Hawksbill Turtle has a marbled shell in shades of brown with yellow below from which the commercial description ‘tortoise shell’ is derived. Both the Green and Loggerhead Turtles are occasional visitors to New Zealand, the Green Turtle was first recorded in 1895 and since 1980 at least 12 have been recorded in our waters, the Loggerhead Turtle was first recorded slightly earlier in 1885 with at least twelve sightings since 1950.

The 2001 Year of the Snake - Marine Reptiles stamp sheets were the very first stamp issue on which a new New Zealand Post corporate logo appeared in colour - the logo appeared once on each sheet in the bottom right selvage.

Miniature Sheet

Incorporating the $1.50 and $2.00 stamps from this issue this miniature sheet commemorated 2001 as the Year of the Snake - Marine Reptiles.

Logo Block

The Marine Reptiles stamp sheets were the very first issue on which the New Zealand Post logo appeared in colour. The new corporate logo appeared on each sheet once.

Product Listing for 2001 Year of the Snake - Marine Reptiles

Image	Title	Description	Price
	Single Stamp	Single 40c 'Green turtle' gummed stamp. The Green turtle have a olive or brown carapace ( their shell above) and yellowish white plastron (below). The carapace grows to just over one metre long, and the maximum weight is about 180 kilogams. They get their common name from the fat which imparts a green colouring. Green turtles are herbivores, feeding mainly on seaweed and seagrass.	$0.40
	Single Stamp	Single 80c 'Leathery turtle' gummed stamp. Leathery turtles are predominantly dark brown or black above and pale below. They may be blotched, especially on their sides, neck and underparts. The carapace is a mosaic of small, many-sided bony plates covered in leathery skin - hence its name. The carapace has seven longtitudinal ridges, including those on the sides and this makes the swimming turtles look like upturned dinghies. Their foods include salps and jellyfish.	$0.80
	Single Stamp	Single 90c 'Loggerhead turtle' gummed stamp. Loggerhead turtles are brown or red-brown above and pale below. Their carapace reach a length of about one metre and they can weigh up to 180 kilograms. Loggerhead turtles occur througout the tropics and are relatively uncommon in New Zealand waters, they have been found mostly aroung the North Island. They eat crabs and molluscs.	$0.90
	Single Stamp	Single $1.30 'Hawksbill turtle' gummed stamp. The shell of the adult Hawksbill turtle is beautifully variegated or marbled with shades of brown. Adults have a carapace of up to one metre long and a maximum weight  of about 6.5 kilograms. The edge of the carapace is strongly serrated and the shields of the carapace overlap like roofing tiles. The eat molluscs ad crustaceans.	$1.30
	Single Stamp	Single $1.50 'BandedSea-snake' gummed stamp. Banded Sea-snakes grow to about 1.4 metres in total length. They are bluish-grey above and yellowish below, with about 35 prominent, black cross-bands. Their head is small and blunt and they have a row of broad scales along the belly, like land snakes. They are highly venomous and mostly eat small fish which they subdue with their venom.	$1.50
	Single Stamp	Single $2.00 'Yellow-bellied Sea-snake' gummed stamp. The name yellow-bellied comes from the lower half of the body being yellowish and upper half of the sea-snakes body being dark. The two colours usually meet abruptly to form a straight line along each side.The head is elongated and the tail is yellowish with a striking arrangement of dark spots. They reach a maximum length of one metre. They eat fish.	$2.00
	Miniature Sheet	Mint, used or cancelled miniature sheet.	$3.50
	First Day Cover	First day cover with stamps affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue.	$7.40
	Miniature Sheet First Day Cover	First day cover with miniature sheet affixed. Cancelled on the first day of issue.	$4.00