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Island Conservation
Research team discovers remains of extinct giant burrowing bat in New Zealand. Have you ever heard of a burrowing bat? You might be accustomed to seeing bats depicted in caves, but indeed, some prefer to make their homes underground. Burrowing bats are peculiar because they not only fly; they also scurry about on all fours, […]
New Zealand’s plan to remove invasive predators by 2050 stands to benefit human health by eliminating pathways for disease transmission. New Zealand’s ambitious project to remove invasive predators by 2050 has raised hopes for and discussion about the island nation’s ecological health. Predator Free 2050 certainly stands to benefit native plants and wildlife, but it […]
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 […]
After new population studies, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has uplisted the Kea from Vulnerable to Endangered. New Zealand’s only Alpine Parrot species, the Kea, has been officially declared Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The large, green parrot had been listed as Vulnerable, but recent studies show that […]
Conservationists celebrate a conservation win after the Brown Kiwi and the Okarito Kiwi are downlisted from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Vulnerable’. Two of New Zealand’s iconic Kiwi species have been downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable after a 30-year effort to save the small, flightless birds. The North Island Brown Kiwi and the Okarito Kiwi (Rowi) have both […]
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. […]
Researchers identify two distinct sub-species of Weka when previously there were believed to be six. Scientific understanding of species is constantly evolving. In New Zealand and on islands around the world, questions frequently arise about what is a species versus a sub-species. In New Zealand many species have differentiated into North Island and South Island […]
Takahē populations reach 300 for the first time in decades, but new conservation innovations are needed to save the species. Sometimes in life, modest milestones can feel like huge victories. Such is the case for conservation efforts aimed at protecting New Zealand’s South Island Takahē. Takahē are large flightless rails that live in the New […]
One bird at a time: conservationists are raising a newly hatched Kiwi chick in an effort to save the species from extinction. New Zealand’s iconic Kiwi bird is triggering considerable conservation efforts; many organizations are working hard to protect this small flightless bird, and the efforts have recently been rewarded. A newly hatched chick at […]
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 […]