Green gecko
Image: Sabine Bernert | ©
New Zealand is known as the seabird capital of the world and is also home to a number of forest birds that live nowhere else on Earth.
The herpetofauna animal group includes reptiles and frogs. New Zealand has tuatara, geckos, skinks, and four species of native frog.
Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammals.
New Zealand marine mammals include many species of dolphins, seals and whales.
Invertebrates have no backbone or spinal column. New Zealand invertebrates include crayfish, snails, octupus, weta and coral.
New Zealand has 58 native freshwater fish species.
Find out about sharks/mangō, spotted black grouper, sea snakes, kraits and turtles.