One of New Zealand’s northern giant land snails, kauri snails have beautiful bronze shells and can grow to more than 3 inches in shell diameter. They live in moist forests, which provide the damp conditions they need, safe places to hide, and plenty of worms, insects, larvae and other snails to eat. They were once widespread in Northland, but are now endangered due to human settlement and predation by pigs, possums and other species. Their Conservation Status is Near Threatened.

A beloved symbol of New Zealand, kiwi are flightless birds only found in this nation. They live in forests with wet, steep terrain, building burrows in the ground for shelter. They eat worms, berries, seeds and leaves. Predators like stoats and large cats prey on kiwi. There are five kiwi species which have a Conservation Status ranging from Recovering to Nationally Critical. The brown kiwi is categorized as an At Risk-Declining species. We have partnered with local conservation organizations, students and Māori to protect the kiwi. Learn more here.

Photo by Neil Hutton.