New Zealand native animals: Conservation

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Green gecko
Image: Sabine Bernert ©

Introduction

New Zealand has many unique native fish, insects, birds, lizards and frogs. Our only native mammals are bats and marine mammals.

Birds

North island kaka.

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.

Reptiles and frogs

Tuatara.

The herpetofauna animal group includes reptiles and frogs. New Zealand has tuatara, geckos, skinks, and four species of native frog.

Bats/pekapeka

Lesser short-tailed bat.

Bats are New Zealand's only native land mammals.

Marine mammals

New Zealand sea lions on beach.

New Zealand marine mammals include many species of dolphins, seals and whales.

Invertebrates

Giant wētā.

Invertebrates have no backbone or spinal column. New Zealand invertebrates include crayfish, snails, octupus, weta and coral.

Freshwater fish

Teviot flathead galaxias.

New Zealand has 57 native freshwater fish species.

Marine fish and reptiles

School of fish.

Find out about sharks/mangō, spotted black grouper, sea snakes, kraits and turtles.

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