The Taranaki Falls Hike on Mt. Ruapehu is a great short walk. This hike is perfect if you only have a few hours at Whakapapa Village to explore the area. When I first heard about this hike I was a bit confused. I live in…
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Predator-Free New Zealand is a topic that most New Zealanders are familiar with. Here is the story of how and why we got here. To the casual visitor New Zealand is an idyllic paradise with rugged coastline, beautiful beaches, tall mountains and volcanoes. However, a…
Is that a gecko or skink? Here are 3 tips to help you tell apart New Zealand’s endemic lizards (excluding tuatara, which is another reptile). I bet that most of the time when people think of the natural world of New Zealand they picture amazing…
New Zealand’s fungi come in a dazzling array of colours and forms. Here are some of the more remarkable and colourful fungi. There is nothing I enjoy more than spending a day walking outdoors. The world above treeline always feels like a magical place to…
New Zealand is home to some incredibly long living species. Here are 6 New Zealand long living species, and a possible explanation for why they live so long. The more I learn about the marvels of the natural world of Aotearoa, the more I am…
Kiekie is one of the common plants found in native bush across New Zealand and a taonga species. Here are 5 facts about this endemic vine. The native podocarp/broadleaf forest of New Zealand appears to be a tangled mass of green, which it is. But,…
The piwakawaka hut is a great, short, overnight trip. Spend a night in the Kaitake Ranges in the North Island’s Taranaki region. I am always keen to find some new huts or areas to explore, especially close to where I live in Taranaki. Recently, we…
The sounds of the cicada are synonymous with summer in New Zealand. Here are 7 cicada facts to help you better appreciate these winged insects. Summer in New Zealand always seems to fly by because there are so many fun outdoor activities to engage in.…
New Zealand’s 3 parrot species include the kaka, kea, and kakapo. Here are some facts about these 3 endemic bird species and a hysterical video. The islands of New Zealand are home to a wonderful variety of truly unique plants and animals. A couple of…
Here are 14 of the most common garden birds of New Zealand. These include a few native birds and also several introduced species, such as blackbirds. About 212 species of birds can currently be found in New Zealand. Those are birds that live and breed…