A dream job in a remote part of New Zealand is attracting applicants from as far afield as Colombia and Sweden after authorities decided to give the job, which involves protecting a rare bird species, more attention.
New Zealand’s Conservation Department received just three applicants when it opened applications last month, but has since decided to widen the search and has been inundated with applicants.
The position is to be a Biodiversity Warden in a remote town called Haast and involves hiking, helicopter flights and sailing in some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. According to local website Stuff, salary can vary from R$363,000 to R$463,000 depending on experience.
The main task of the chosen one will be to help protect rare species on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. This includes caring for the kiwi bird, a flightless bird endemic to New Zealand, and monitoring penguin colonies and reptile species.
The department has already received more than 1,400 applications from candidates from Finland, Romania, Paraguay and South Africa.
COO Wayne Costello says the response has been overwhelming. “I have an Instagram account and my number is on WhatsApp, so I got a bunch of applications from Colombia, Romania and Sweden… from all over the world!” Costello told AFP on Thursday (3).
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