#new zealand wildlife

[dougdimmadodo]

Blue-Green Chiton (Chiton glaucus)

Family: Typical Chiton Family (Chitonidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Unassessed

Like other chitons, the Blue-Green Chiton is a heavily armoured eyeless mollusc related to marine snails which relies on its strong aragonite-based shell to defend it from potential predators as it slides slowly along on a frilly "foot", clinging to surfaces beneath it as it travels using a layer of thin-yet-sticky mucus and the suction-cup-like shape formed by the foot's frilly rim. Although they lack any conventional eyes, the 8 armoured plates of a chiton contain numerous lens-like structures (also made of aragonite) which focus light onto a retina-like membrane, allowing the chiton to perceive light and possibly basic shapes above them in order to identify potential predators, giving them an opportunity to grip more tightly onto the surface beneath them to prevent them from being flipped over to expose their unarmoured underbelly (although if this does happen they are also able to curl up in order to leave as little of their foot exposed as possible.) Found in coastal and estuarine waters surrounding New Zealand and Tasmania, Blue-Green Chitons spend much of the day concealed in rocky cracks or under large stones and emerge at night to feed, using a spiny tongue-like structure that extends from their tiny downwards-facing mouths to scrape algae off of the rocks beneath them. The name of this species refers to the variety of colours seen on the shells of different individuals; while typically dull green, individuals with blue, yellow or pale brown shells are also frequently reported.

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Image Source: Here

Also see here for a very cool video explaining how chiton "eyes" work.

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #WorldPenguinDay:

Eileen Mayo (1906-1994) Yellow-eyed Penguin, 1976 gouache on paper Museum of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa

The Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes), known also as hoiho or tarakaka, is a species of penguin endemic to New Zealand.

[voidbirds]

The Pacific Black Duck!

A waterbird commonly found in the South-Eastern Pacific islands.

In the Maori Language they are known as Pārera, The grey duck. They are distinguished from the similar female Mallard by the green on the edge of their wing that is not bordered by white.

[sebgowerart]

Sometimes we look at a painting. Sometimes the painting looks back

[ayashootsbirbs]

I didn't have my camera on me, but we have a guest in the harbour.

[ferntern]

Soggy creature

[starchipuppy]

here have a bird I found

[vintagewildlife]

Takahē By: New Zealand High Commission From: Man and Wildlife 1970

[azurskysmobile]

Here's some pictures I took of it up at Te Aroha last summer! It's pretty cool to see irl, and so close to home as well. Its even on our fifty dollar note :D

ok there’s no fucking way this thing is real. how.

[unbfacts]

Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, New Zealand, and Antarctica are regions without native snake populations.

[dougdimmadodo]

Bigbelly Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) 

Family: Pipefish Family (Syngnathidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Easily distinguished from other seahorse species thanks to their namesake large, rotund abdomens, Bigbelly Seahorses are found mainly in coastal waters surrounding New Zealand and southeastern Australia, where they typically remain in shallow-water habitats such as coral reefs (although they are highly adaptable, and may be found at depths of over 100 meters/328ft.) Like most seahorses they are slow-moving carnivores, spending much of their lives clinging to solid surfaces using their long prehensile (grasping) tails and ambushing small crustaceans (including shrimps, isopods, amphipods and small crabs) that pass by, generating suction to pull prey into their elongated tube-like snouts while their highly sensitive eyes (which, like the eyes of a chameleon, can move independently of one another) survey their surroundings for both prey and predators (such as skates, wrasses, cormorants and penguins.) Members of this species swim between perches by paddling slowly with their dorsal fins (which in most fish are on the dorsal/upper surface of the body, but which take the place of tail fins in seahorses) and while they are not typically social outside of mating they are not aggressive towards conspecifics, allowing for groups of Bigbelly Seahorses to gather together where prey is abundant. Bigbelly Seahorses reach maturity at around 1 year of age and will reproduce as many as 4 times in a single year; when ready to mate a male attempts to court females by inflating a pouch on his abdomen to appear larger, changing his colour to a brighter yellow and tucking his head downwards as he approaches - if the female accepts his advances she will similarly tuck in her head and change her colour, and the two will then solidify their bond by “dancing” together, swimming in circles around one another and often intertwining their tails as they do so. Once courtship is complete both partners will swim towards the surface where the male will position himself slightly below the female who will then deposit between 300 and 1000 unfertilized eggs in the inflated pouch on his belly, with the male fertilizing the eggs within his pouch and carrying them with him as they develop for around 30 days before he “gives birth” to a large number of small but completely independent young. Adult Bigbelly Seahorses can grow to be up to 30cm (11.8 inches) long from the tip of their tail to the top of their head, making them among the largest of all seahorse species.

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Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/69837-Hippocampus-abdominalis

[pangeen]

" Bees in slow motion " //© Aimee

Music: 90sFlav - Call me

[first-son-of-finwe]

I mean, yeah...I was bringing in their daily supply of radio antennae, rubber and windscreen wipers. What did I want, for them to not take it??

I also feel like I should educate the general public about Kea, the clowns of the mountains, the world's only alpine parrot, so here is a short list of highlights:

Their fondness for ripping rubber parts off cars has been used to sell insurance

They will literally move traffic cones onto the road to try and get cars to stop so that they can play with them

Here's a video of them fucking up a police car

Here's a video of one stealing a gopro and flying off with it (and capturing some great footage)

That time a kea stole a Scottish man's passport

They are very clever and can problem solve. Which is often a problem.

During the emergency construction of a backcountry hut, the local kea started stealing nails. They were later found arranged by size.

Stopped for two seconds, immediately got assaulted by a gang of kea

They’re just violent little guys who want to destroy your car and steal all your belongings ❤️

[ellaandtheocean]

STOP THE NZ GOVERNMENT'S WAR ON NATURE

Just when you thought they'd hit rock bottom, the National/Act/NZ First coalition government keeps digging. The fast-track approvals bill was released last month and forms the latest part of the government's war on nature. This would allow major infrastructure and industry projects such as mining, road construction and large-scale aquaculture to be fast-tracked if they are considered to be regionally or nationally significant. While I completely agree that the current Resource Management Act consenting process is not fit for purpose, its regulations are stringent for a reason - to protect our climate, our indigenous biodiversity and our whenua. We need development in New Zealand to be sustainable, and to focus more on nature-based solutions. This legislation is taking our country in the wrong direction. It's not the fast-track it's the wrong track!

Lack of consideration for environmental damage: This project requires the economic benefits of a project to be considered above all else. In the midst of intersecting climate and biodiversity crises, we should prioritize protecting the habitats we have left and supporting efforts to restore ecosystems.

Lack of regulation against negative human health impacts: Even if you're not a nature lover like me, we can probably all agree that exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and other toxins, dangerous pollution in outdoor recreation areas such as rivers and beaches, and air pollution are things that no New Zealander wants. This bill does not exclude projects and activities that will have a negative impact on human health.

Lack of transparency: There are already many projects earmarked for fast tracking under Schedule 2A of this bill, but this list has not been published, meaning a fast-tracked project could be coming to a place near you soon, and you'd have no idea until after the bill has passed. Details about the process for project selection and review are scarce.

Undemocratic: Rather than going through the full submission process, projects are sent straight to a panel to be reviewed. This means that local people and conservation groups won't get to have their say on projects that will directly affect them and the work they do. This is a blatant overreach of central government into local affairs, from a government who criticized Three Waters because they thought it took too much decision-making ability away from the regions.

Risks of corruption and conflict of interest: The expert panels do not get the final say of which projects are approved; they can be overridden by any of these three ministers: Simeon Brown (Minister for Energy and Transport), Chris Bishop (Minister for Infrastructure) and Shane Jones (Minister for Oceans & Fisheries, Resources and Regional Development). Having one person make these calls presents a much greater risk of conflicts of interest occurring (and let's be honest, this is quite a risk).

Submissions on this bill are open until April 19th, and there are templates online you can use to make a submission if you're pressed for time. My favourites are from the Forest & Bird (the organization I volunteer with) and the Environmental Defence Society (linked below). You can also write to your local MP and let them know you DO NOT support this bill.

More information and submission templates:

STOP the War on Nature | Forest and Bird

Make a submission on the Fast-track Approvals Bill using EDS’s template | EDS

[sebgowerart]

Slip, slop, slap 🧴☀️😎

[ferntern]

Banners I made for my entry plaza in Planet Zoo, starting with the headliners for the local species section of the park. Part 1/3