Freshwater crayfish/koura
The koura, or freshwater crayfish, is dark green and mottled like the stones it lives amongst on stream bottoms. It is hard to see as it is so well camouflaged. Often its waving feelers and black beady eyes are all that can be seen because they stay hidden during the day, moving around mostly at night.
Did you know when koura hatch they look exactly like their parents in miniature? Learn more about New Zealand's freshwater crayfish in this section.
Habitat destruction, introduced predators and over-harvesting have cause koura populations to decline in some places.
Find out about DOC's koura/freshwater crayfish conservation work.
You can help in koura conservation efforts by leaving them in their natural habitat. To improve koura habitat fence off your waterways or ponds from stock and plant native vegetation along the edge of waters.
Koura / New Zealand's freshwater crayfish factsheet (PDF, 197K)
Conservation requirements of New Zealand's nationally threatened invertebrates
New Zealand invertebrates factsheet (PDF, 236K)
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