What do you reckon is the most bizarre, most ingenious of all the weird creatures on Aotearoa’s ‘Ark that Evolution Forgot’? There are plenty to choose from, but my nomination would be ngaokeoke – the peripatus. Here are some of my reasons why. They capture prey by shooting them with a jet of … [Read more...] about Peripatus is a sharp-shooting ‘living fossil’
Success stories
Waikato pest distribution, detectability studied
A recent study by Brandon Breedt and Carolyn King provides the first estimates of the proportion of the Waikato Region occupied by each of the target introduced mammal predator species. The results offer a warning to pest managers that pests are more widespread and harder to remove than is commonly … [Read more...] about Waikato pest distribution, detectability studied
If our native birds were gardeners, what would they plant?
Native plants are a good way to attract native birds to your garden. No matter how small, you can always make your backyard more attractive to native birdlife by providing food, water, shelter, and nesting places/materials. Puriri tree. Photo credit: Jon Sullivan You can break down the … [Read more...] about If our native birds were gardeners, what would they plant?
7 surprising facts about hedgehogs
Hedgehogs were first introduced in New Zealand in the 1870s to make British settlers feel more at home. Now, 150 years later, the impact hedgehogs have on our native species is only just being understood. For a long time they were seen as innocuous garden inhabitants, but with more research … [Read more...] about 7 surprising facts about hedgehogs
A glimpse of the social life of Otago skinks
Researchers have recently been studying the social life of our native skinks – and yes, skinks really do have a social network. Who would have thought it? Otago skinks (Oligosoma otagense) living in a large enclosure at Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary were the subjects of this unusual study of skink … [Read more...] about A glimpse of the social life of Otago skinks
Rare alpine seabird is ‘one of a kind’
The Hutton’s shearwater/Kaikōura tītī (Puffinus huttoni) is the only seabird in the world that breeds in an alpine environment, with breeding colonies in the Seaward Kaikōura Range at elevations between 1200 to 1800 metres. It’s a strange place to find an ocean bird nesting and explains why the … [Read more...] about Rare alpine seabird is ‘one of a kind’
Researchers evaluate what pāteke need for successful reintroduction
Pāteke/brown teal are mainly nocturnal, small dabbling ducks found only in New Zealand. They once inhabited a wide range of habitats including wet forests, swamps, slow-flowing streams, lakes and estuaries and in pre-human times may have been the most wide-spread and abundant of our waterfowl. Even … [Read more...] about Researchers evaluate what pāteke need for successful reintroduction
Colin Miskelly investigates seabird mysteries
Colin Miskelly is hoping to solve a mystery one day – to find where grey-backed storm petrels breed. They’re one of the smallest seabirds in the New Zealand region and there’s a very good chance they have a colony somewhere in the lower South Island. Grey-backed storm petrel, Rangatira Island, … [Read more...] about Colin Miskelly investigates seabird mysteries
Bringing poo to an island near you…
Even ocean-going birds need to come ashore to breed and when they do, they bring a gift from the oceans with them – nutrient-rich guano (otherwise known as seabird poo). It’s a fertiliser bonanza, especially when those seabirds nest in large, breeding colonies. Gannet breeding colony at Napier. … [Read more...] about Bringing poo to an island near you…
Bar-tailed godwits are longhaul experts
If you’ve ever found a longhaul airline flight gruelling, spare a thought for those expert longhaulers, the kūaka /bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri) - currently departing for Alaska. They take a record-breaking 8-11 day flight as part of their migration from Alaska to New Zealand and back … [Read more...] about Bar-tailed godwits are longhaul experts