Species Feature

In 1962 a population of giant wētā were discovered in remnant patches of tawa forest at Mahoenui in the southern King Country. More wētā were found on farmland reverting to gorse in 1987. It’s likely that the wētā were once present throughout the lowland forests of Waikato. Mahoenui giant wētā lay their eggs by pushing …

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Thismia rodwayi is a small reddish-yellowish flower without stem and leaves. It most often pops out of the forest floor or is hidden under the leaf litter. As it does not contain any chlorophyll, its only vegetative parts are a flower stalk and roots, both devoid of chlorophyll. The flower is often called fairy lantern. …

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The Red-Crowned Parakeet, commonly known by its Maori name Kākāriki, is a long tailed bright green parrot with a red crown, forehead and band of red which extends from the bill through the eye and a violet blue colour on the tips of its wings. Kākāriki are now very rare in the North Island. They …

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The Sophora fulvida is a species of kowhai tree which grows up to 10m tall. It is found mainly on open or disturbed sites, on base rich volcanic rock, rubble and outcrops and amongst mixed podacarp hardwood forest. A mixed podocarp forest contains tress such as rimu, kahikatea, miro, matai and totara. Sophora fulvida is …

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The Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), or matuku is a large, heron-sized bird. They are rarely seen because of their secretive behaviour and excellent camouflage. They are most active at dawn, dusk and through the night. They live in wetlands throughout New Zealand with Whangamarino Wetland in the Waikato being the most nationally significant site. There …

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Pingao is usually found on the seaward faces of coastal fore dunes. It is capable of growing closer to the shoreline than any other sand binder. Along with spinifex in the North Island it is the most important of the native sand binders for building and stabilising coastal sand dunes. It builds dunes by trapping …

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New Zealand’s beetle life is diverse. There are more than 4,500 named, native species. This is more than all New Zealand plant, fish, frogs, reptile, bird and mammal species combined. About 90% of New Zealand beetles are endemic to New Zealand meaning that they are found nowhere else in the world. The Te Aroha stag …

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Kirks’ daisy Brachyglottis kirkii var.kirkii has a threat status of declining.It is still found on the Coromandel Ranges and northern Kaimai Mamaku range, the west coast and King Country, Pirongia and Pureora Forest. Kirk’s daisy is an epiphyte which grows in lowland to lower montane (mountain) forest although it sometimes grows on the forest floor. …

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