TOGETHER!
LET'S TRAVEL TO LUMINO CITY
As the lights dim around the world, planes come to a standstill and movement is forbidden - Wellington Lantern Festival invites you to dive into a new and exhilarating world of vivid lights and sensory experiences as you step into the glowing metropolis that is Lumino City.
Source: Department of Conservation
SADDLEBACK
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Estimated 650
Conservation Status (NZTCS): At Risk - Recovering
Found: Taranga (Hen) Island has the only remaining natural population; relocated populations now on offshore islands and mainland sanctuaries
Habitat: Common in coastal forest. They like tree-ferns, shrubs and native trees such as the Southern Rata
Threats: Predation
Facts:
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The Māori name is tīeke, for their loud, staccato-like calls
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Has a distinctive copper ‘saddle’ on its back
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Saddleback also called wattlebirds, for their fleshy wattles found on either side of their beak
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There are a North Island and South Island species
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The Saddleback are poor flyers and mostly bounce along branches or hop along the ground
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They feed mainly on invertebrates pulled out from under bark, rotten logs, or the forest ground
Source: Department of Conservation
POWELLIPHANTA SNAIL
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Unknown
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Found: Wet native forests mostly north-west Nelson and north Westland
Habitat: Lives in rich temperature rainforests buried in leaves, under logs, under tussock grasses.
Threats: Predation, habitat loss
Facts:
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Powelliphanta superba prouseorum species can grow as big as a fist (up to 9cm across), making them one of the largest snails in the world
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Amoung largest snails in the world
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Eat invertebrates – mostly native earth worms and slugs
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Lay about 5-10 eggs a year
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Live up to 20 years
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Shells can be brown/red/yellow/black
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Are nocturnal
Source: Department of Conservation
KAKAPO
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Only 209
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened - Nationally Critical
Found: Codfish Island/Whenua Hou, Anchor Island and Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island
Habitat: Use their strong claws to climb 20m high Rimu Trees
Threats: Predators, disease, genetic inbreeding, infertility
Facts:
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Large, flightless, nocturnal green parrot with a distinctive owl-like face
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Heaviest parrot species in the world and the longest-life span, estimated to reach 90 years.
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Herbivorous – only eat plants (leaves, buds, flowers, fruit seeds etc)
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Solo hikers that waddle and have a tendency to freeze when threatened
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Only breed when Rimu trees put out masses of fruit – every two to four years
Source: Department of Conservation
MĀUI DOLPHIN
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Between 60 over the age of 1 year
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened - Nationally Critical
Found: West coast of the North Island from Maunganui Bluff to Whanganui
Habitat: Found close to shore
Threats: Fishing, disease, oil and gas exploration, boat strike, mining, tourism, noise
Facts:
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World’s smallest and rarest dolphin
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Have distinctive grey, white and black markings and short snout
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Live up to 20 years old
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“See” with sound, by sending out high frequency clicks that bounce off surrounding objects
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Look similar to the Hector’s dolphin – but are physically and genetically different
Source: Department of Conservation
NZ SEA LION
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: About 12,000
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable
Found: Auckland and Campbell subantarctic islands. Emerging breeding locations at Stewart Island/Rakiura, Otago and Southland regions
Habitat: Sandy beaches and rocks. Breeding females seek shelter inland
Threats: Diseases, fisheries interactions, food availability, human impacts
Facts:
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New Zealand sea lions are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world
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Main breeding colony in decline
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Have blunt nose and short whiskers
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Live up to 23 years
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Males have a defined mane around their shoulders and are a dark brown/black colour
Source: Department of Conservation
FIORDLAND CRESTED PENGUIN
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Between 2,500 and 3,000
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable
Found: South Westland, Fiordland, Solander Island, Codfish and Stewart Island etc
Habitat: Dense coastal shrub, sea caves, rocks, creating nests in hollows under fallen trees, roots, boulders or rock crevices
Threats: Dogs, human disturbance, climate changes
Facts:
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Māori name is Tawaki
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One of the rarest NZ mainland penguins
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Lay two eggs – the first chick is smaller than the second, and they are laid 3-6 days apart
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Live for 15-20 years
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Some grow barnacles on their tails, which indicates they are at sea for long periods of time
Source: Department of Conservation
HAMILTON’S FROG
NZ Status: Endemic
Population: 40,000
Conservation Status (NZTCS): Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable
Found: Stephens Island on the Cook Strait
Habitat: Live under large rocks and crevices in moist forest
Threats: Disease and predation
Facts:
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One of the worlds most endangered frogs
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Less than 300 individuals remaining
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Small reaching only 52mm in length
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Difficult to see as they camouflage themselves into their surroundings
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Don’t croak very often like most frogs
Source: Department of Conservation
TUATARA
NZ Status: Endemic (only found in NZ)
Population: Estimated 60,000
Conservation Status (NZTCS): At Risk - Relict (stabilising after decline)
Found: Offshore islands, mainland sanctuaries
Habitat: Live in burrows that are often shared with birds
Threats: Predation and low genetic diversity
Facts:
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Last survivors of reptiles that thrived in the age of Dinosaurs
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Eat invertebrates: beetles, Weta, worms, spiders
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Live between 60 and 100 years
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Tuatara means 'peaks on the back' in Māori
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They are most famous for their 'third eye' on the top centre of their head which functions as a light sensor
Source: Department of Conservation
FOREST GECKO
NZ Status: Endemic
Population: Unknown
Conservation Status (NZTCS): At Risk - Declining
Found: Northland, Auckland, Marlborough Sounds, West Coast
Habitat: During the day they tend to hide in tree hollows, under logs, stones or bark
Threats: Predation from mammals
Facts:
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39 species of Gecko in NZ
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Mainly nocturnal (active at night) or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk)
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Live up to 20 years
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Every year geckos shed old skin in a process known as 'sloughing'
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Colour: grey/brown or green/brown and have markings along their back which helps blend into their habitat of forest and shrub
