Megaherb field of Pleurophyllum speciosum, Campbell Island
Image: Stephen Jaquiery | ©

Thursday Conservation Week quiz

Introduction

Test your knowledge with the Thursday Conservation Week quiz.

Do the quiz below and make sure to keep track of your score.

If you have any problems viewing the quiz, try using a different browser or view all the questions on one page.

Conservation Quiz 2020: Thursday 20 August

Hamilton's frog
Hamilton's frog

Q1: How many native frog species are there in New Zealand?

Hochstetter's frog
Hochstetter's frog

Incorrect! There's 4

New Zealand has four native frog species:

 

  • Archey's frog
  • Hamilton's frog
  • Hochstetter's frog
  • Maud Island frog

They are small, nocturnal, and are hard to see as they camouflage themselves well.

 

Three of our species live on land in shady, moist forested areas, and one is semi-aquatic, living on stream edges.

Hochstetter's frog
Hochstetter's frog

Correct! There's 4

New Zealand has four native frog species:

 

  • Archey's frog
  • Hamilton's frog
  • Hochstetter's frog
  • Maud Island frog

They are small, nocturnal, and are hard to see as they camouflage themselves well.

 

Three of our species live on land in shady, moist forested areas, and one is semi-aquatic, living on stream edges.

Q2: Male kākāpō put on displays to attract female attention and do not help raising chicks. No other parrot species in the world does this – true or false?

A kākāpō in a tree hollow feeding a chick
Kākāpō Alice feeding her chick

Nope - it's true!

Male kākāpō compete for females with their displays. They try to impress females by rocking side-to-side, clicking their beaks and spreading their wings.   

 

Breeding by competiting in displays is called lek breeding. No other New Zealand bird does it, or any other parrot species in the world.

 

A kākāpō in a tree hollow feeding a chick
Kākāpō Alice feeding her chick

Yes - it's true!

Male kākāpō compete for females with their displays. They try to impress females by rocking side-to-side, clicking their beaks and spreading their wings.   

 

Breeding by competiting in displays is called lek breeding. No other New Zealand bird does it, or any other parrot species in the world.

 

Q3: How many of New Zealand’s islands are now pest free?

Incorrect - it's 117!

Since 2016, local communities, iwi and key partners have made 117 islands predator free to help New Zealand become Predator Free by 2050.

Correct - it's 117!

Since 2016, local communities, iwi and key partners have made 117 islands predator free to help New Zealand become Predator Free by 2050.

Long-tailed bat held in someone's hand
Long-tailed bat

Q4: The Te Reo Māori name for short and long-tailed bats is…

Long-tailed bat held in someone's hand
Long-tailed bat/pekapeka

Incorrect - the answer is pekapeka!

Māori folklore refers to bats as pekapeka and associates them with the mythical, night-flying bird, hokioi.

 

A pāteke is also known as a brown teal, our small native dabbling duck. While  pīwakawaka is Te Reo Māori for fantail.

Long-tailed bat held in someone's hand
Long-tailed bat/pekapeka

Correct - the answer is pekapeka!

Māori folklore refers to bats as pekapeka and associates them with the mythical, night-flying bird, hokioi.

 

A pāteke is also known as a brown teal, our small native dabbling duck. While  pīwakawaka is Te Reo Māori for fantail.

Q5: Which of the following birds is considered the smallest in New Zealand?

A small bird on a branch surrounded by small white flowers.
Rifleman / titipounamu

Incorrect - the answer is the rifleman / titipounamu!

The rifleman / titipounamu is generally considered to be New Zealand's smallest bird.

 

The grey warbler weighs about the same but has a longer tail.

 

A small bird on a branch surrounded by small white flowers.
Rifleman / tītipounamu

Correct - the answer is the rifleman / titipounamu!

The rifleman / titipounamu is generally considered to be New Zealand's smallest bird.

 

The grey warbler weighs about the same but has a longer tail.

 

Q6: While diving to gain momentum for continual soaring, albatross can reach speeds over…

Incorrect! It's over 100 km per hour!

Albatross perform dynamic soaring, which is when they turn into the wind and dive downwards to gain forward momentum.

 

Studies have recorded them reaching speeds of over 100 km per hour when doing this, enabling them to fly 1,000 km a day without flapping their wings.

Correct! It's over 100 km per hour!

Albatross perform dynamic soaring, which is when they turn into the wind and dive downwards to gain forward momentum.

 

Studies have recorded them reaching speeds of over 100 km per hour when doing this, enabling them to fly 1,000 km a day without flapping their wings.

Q7: Which native bird sings with guttural and clear tones, has a dual voice box, and can mimic other birds and human speech?

A tūī singing at the top of a kowhai tree.
Tūī

Incorrect - it's the tūī!

Tūī can sing and mimic a range of sharp wheezes and elegant songs. They can also re-create sounds, and frequently pick up car alarms, beeps and whistle sounds.

 

Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre rescued tūī 'Woof Woof' learned to repeat several human phrases including 'how are you doing?' and 'Merry Christmas'.

A tūī singing at the top of a kowhai tree.
Tūī

Correct - it's the tūī!

Tūī can sing and mimic a range of sharp wheezes and elegant songs. They can also re-create sounds, and frequently pick up car alarms, beeps and whistle sounds.

 

Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre rescued tūī 'Woof Woof' learned to repeat several human phrases including 'how are you doing?' and 'Merry Christmas'.

Q8: Captain Cook and many early European settlers called what native NZ tree the ‘tea tree’?

A close up of the flowers on a manuka tree.
Mānuka / kahikato flowers

Incorrect - the answer is mānuka / kahikato!

Capitan Cook used the leaves of the Mānuka/kahikatoa for tea, and wrote it "has a very agreeable bitter taste and flavour".

 

He called it the ‘tea tree’, as did many settlers who also found it to be a good substitute for the imported tea leaves they knew of in Europe.

A close up of the flowers on a manuka tree.
Mānuka / kahikato flowers

Correct - the answer is mānuka / kahikato!

Capitan Cook used the leaves of the Mānuka/kahikatoa for tea, and wrote it "has a very agreeable bitter taste and flavour".

 

He called it the ‘tea tree’, as did many settlers who also found it to be a good substitute for the imported tea leaves they knew of in Europe.

Q9: About how many types of shark are found in New Zealand’s waters?

Correct! It's about 70

About 70 types of sharks are found in New Zealand waters ranging in size from the tiny pygmy shark which grows up to 27 cm long to the 12 metre long whale shark.

Incorrect! It's about 70

About 70 types of sharks are found in New Zealand waters ranging in size from the tiny pygmy shark which grows up to 27 cm long to the 12 metre long whale shark.

Q10: What New Zealand invertebrate can grow as big as a fist, and weigh as much as a tui?

Powelliphanta snail
Powelliphanta snail

Incorrect! The answer is the powelliphanta snail

The largest species of powelliphanta snail is found in Kahurangi National Park and measures about 9 cm across.

 

These are the sumo wrestlers of the snail world, weighing in at 90 g, or the equivalent of a tūī!

Powelliphanta snail
Powelliphanta snail

Correct! The answer is the powelliphanta snail

The largest species of powelliphanta snail is found in Kahurangi National Park and measures about 9 cm across.

 

These are the sumo wrestlers of the snail world, weighing in at 90 g, or the equivalent of a tūī!

Well done - you completed Thursday's Conservation Week quiz!

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