Animals

Our quirky and unique birds receive a lot of attention but they are only one subset of endemic and native animals. Aotearoa New Zealand’s long isolation from other land masses means that many of our native creatures – from snails to skinks to wētā – are quite unusual. Many other native animals also need our protection from habitat loss and introduced predators.

The following introductory articles curate Hub resources about different groups of native animals.

• Insects – article

• Moths – article

• Butterflies – article

• Wētā – article

• Reptiles and amphibians – article

• Earthworms – article

• Freshwater fish (English and te reo Māori versions) – article

• Birds (general) – article

• Ducks – article

• Takahē – article

Image of Richardsonianus mauianus, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, CC BY 4.0