A Local’s 5 Favorite Outdoor Adventures in Aotearoa New Zealand
Travel like a local to Aotearoa New Zealand with one of our resident Kiwis’ 5 favorite outdoor adventure spots!
Tag: Kiwi
Restoring New Zealand’s Biodiversity
It only took humans a few hundred years to decimate New Zealand’s biodiversity, but conservation initiatives could save the remaining species. New Zealand’s native wildlife and biodiversity serve as a prime example of the impacts humans have had on island ecosystems around the world. The island nation took millions of years to evolve its unique […]
Genetic Bottleneck Threatens New Zealand’s Iconic Little Spotted Kiwi
The Little Spotted Kiwi was once the most abundant species of kiwi in New Zealand, but the introduction of invasive species and anthropological activities have changed their fate forever. Kiwi’s are flightless, nocturnal birds native to New Zealand. The Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) was once the most common of the five kiwi species. Due to the introduction of invasive species, habitat […]
New Zealand Conservation and the Human Component to Saving Species
A new report suggests despite tremendous efforts and successes, there is still more work to be done in New Zealand and the public can help. New Zealand’s natural beauty and biodiversity is in many ways unparalleled and loved the world over. A myriad of conservation efforts have been enacted to protect the breathtaking flora and […]
The Lazarus Effect: Protect One Species, Resurrect a Whole Forest
Pest control is saving more than just the Kiwi: species that haven’t been seen for years are reappearing in New Zealand’s forests. Ann Graeme shares inspiring stories of native birds, plants, and insects that have returned after community conservation for a different species – “The Lazarus Effect.” By: Ann Graeme It rained in the night. My pack […]
Little-known Orange-fronted Parakeet Nearing Extinction
The Critically Endangered Orange-fronted Parakeet faces extinction if conservation and education efforts do not catch up to the rapidly declining population. Rarer than the Kiwi but far less recognized, the Orange-fronted Parakeet is facing extinction. This and many other little-known New Zealand native birds are at risk of extinction due to the threat of invasive predators […]
Hope Springs Anew for Whio Ducklings
New Zealand Department of Conservation releases three Whio ducklings to add to the most successful breeding season on record. The back of New Zealand’s $10 dollar bill features one of the island nation’s most threatened species, and no, it is not the beloved Kiwi, but rather the Blue Duck, also known as the Whio. The […]
Bill Weir Explores Predator Free New Zealand
CNN’s “The Wonder List” explores stories of incredible places, people, and species. In their latest episode, journalist Bill Weir investigates New Zealand’s ambitious Predator Free 2050 initiative. New Zealand was once a bird’s paradise where no native mammalian predators were ever found. Now, invasive predators including rats, possums, and stoats threaten the native wildlife that still remains. […]
Kiwi Could Face Extinction Within 50 Years
Kiwi once thrived throughout New Zealand but began to decline when invasive predators arrived. Conservationists are working to save the species, but the future is uncertain. What would New Zealand be like without its native Kiwi? New Zealand’s national bird, the Kiwi, once numbered in the millions throughout the island nation, but today only 68,000 […]
Protecting the Kiwi, Maori Culture, and New Zealand’s Ecosystem
Endangered Kiwi chick hatches at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia. The Kiwi is an important native bird of New Zealand. The feathered yet flightless creature was named by the Maori–the first people to ever live in New Zealand. The Kiwi is integral to Maori culture and considered sacred. It traditionally served as an occasional food […]