Top 10 Most Unique Wildlife of New Zealand

New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity and one of the last lands to be settled by humans, offers best of international tourism in terms of adventure tourism and wildlife. Here we showing some of the lesser known animals and birds unique to New Zealand.

Kiwi

Kiwis are an icon of New Zealand and flightless birds native to New Zealand, mostly nocturnal and protected in the kiwi sanctuaries of New Zealand. The nocturnal bird often seen in daylight but adapt to different nocturnal habitats and feed on invertebrates, seeds and worms with their long beaks

Kakapo

Kakapo is a flightless and nocturnal parrot also known as owl parrot species is endemic to New Zealand along with New Zealand kaka, found in native forest of islands. The kakapo lives on the ground during the day, cannot fly but excellent climber and moves around its territories at night.

Kea

Kea species of parrot found in the South Island of New Zealand, known for their intelligence and curiosity in animal kingdom. The alpine parrot is one of the endemic parrot species in New Zealand and attraction for tourists.

Takahe

Takahe flightless bird from the rail family is isolated to valley of Murchison Mountains in New Zealand. The flightless bird indigenous to swamps but also found in alpine habitats and grasslands, forest or scrub.

Pukeko is another species of swamphen found in New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea also known as Australasian swamphen and protected as native gamebirds.

Weka

Weka is another flightless bird species found in New Zealand, The vulnerable species is mostly predation by ferrets and stoats. The Maori hen is a brown birds that feed mainly on fruit on the ground as well as invertebrates.

Tuatara

Tuatara reptile is the only surviving member found in New Zealand and referred to as living fossils. The endemic reptile protected by law and are terrestrial and nocturnal, like other wild animals found in New Zealand and also found in protected natural area in Wellington called Zealandia..

Korora (Little Penguins)

Little blue penguins found around the coastlines of New Zealand and Australia, They are smallest species of penguin and one of the known species of penguins found in New Zealand, Northern rockhopper penguin and Yellow-eyed penguin being other two.

Yellow eyed penguin or Hoiho is the breeder of coastlines in New Zealand and sole extant species of its genus, Hoiho is another most rarest penguin species in the world.

Whakahao (New Zealand Sea Lion)

New Zealand sea lion primarily breeds on New Zealand coastlines and one of the rarest sea lion species in the world. The Whakahao prey on a wide range of sea fish, arrow squid, octopus and other marine mammals.

Popoto (Maui Dolphin)

Maui Dolphin is endemic subspecies of the Hector’s dolphin, found in New Zealand’s North Island and also rarest dolphin subspecies globally. The whales, dolphins and porpoises of New Zealand also includes Southern right whale, Bryde’s whale,sperm whale, spotted dolphin and Hector’s dolphin.

Kekeno (New Zealand Fur Seal)

New Zealand fur seal is known as kekeno in the Maori language and found mainly in and around New Zealand and southern Australia. The species along with New Zealand sea lions, Sperm whale and Hector’s dolphins are best tourist attractions in New Zealand.

There are more widl aniamls and birds found in of New Zealand such as Wallaby,New Zealand falcon,chevron skink, Weasel, Ferret, mohua, kokako, kereru (pigeon), lesser short-tailed bat,Hamilton’s frog,Australasian fur seal,Tui bird and New Zealand bellbird.