Creature Feature

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Creature Feature | Takake success story

The flightless takahē is a unique bird, a conservation icon and a survivor. Good news…. The Wellington (New Zealand ) population of Takahe have doubled…. The flightless takahē (South Island takahē; Porphyrio hochstetteri), is the world’s largest living rail (a family of small-medium sized ground-dwelling birds with short wings, large feet and long toes). The North Island takahē (moho; P. mantelli) is unfortunately extinct. Takahē have special cultural, spiritual and traditional significance to Ngāi Tahu, the iwi (Māori tribe) of...

Creature Feature | the weta

The weta is a New Zealand insect – endemic to that country which means “found nowhere else” – it’s as old as… the dinasours! Wētā have become icons for invertebrate conservation in New Zealand because many species are threatened or endangered. There are more than 100 species of wētā in New Zealand, 16 of which are at risk. There are five broad groups of wētā: Tree wētā Ground wētā Cave wētā Giant wētā Tusked wētā Diet: Wētā are mainly herbivorous...

Creature Feature | Kangaroo

  * Photo by Henricus Peters at Lone Pine Sanctuary  Here are some facts you might not know about kangaroo… Kangaroo joeys are the size of a jellybean * Photo by Henricus Peters at Lone Pine Sanctuary  They can’t move backwards. “Kangaroos can not walk backward. Kangaroos hopping motion is called Saltation. They hop off their feet and use their tail to balance. That combined with muscular legs make it easy for them to move forward effectively but those appendages...

Creature feature: Hippos – fascinating, actually world’s large land mammal

It’s  World Hippo Day …… Five fast facts about hippos… some may surprise you …but look out below Hippo’s Cannot Swim – We Know, It’s Shocking! … They Have Incredibly Sensitive Skin. … They Cannot Breathe Underwater. … Hippos Are Territorial – But Only In Water. … They Are Not Big Eaters. … Hippos Have A British Connection. Hippo’s Cannot Swim – We Know, It’s Shocking! Hippos spend pretty much their whole lives in water, so it really doesn’t sound...