Nicola Toki
Critter of the Week Limestone Cress
An extremely rare critter this week, found only on one site! Only found on the limestone outcrops of the Waitaki Valley. Audio
Critter of the Week: Homer Grasshopper
Our Critter of the Week is the Homer grasshopper (Sigaus homerensis), New Zealand's nationally critical grasshopper. Audio
Critter of the Week: The Nelson Green Gecko
Our Critter of the Week is the Nelson Green Gecko - one of our rarest animals, found only in the Nelson area from the south of the Bryant Range, westwards of the main divide, to the Murchison District… Audio
Critter of the Week: Blue damselfly
Nicola Toki's critter of the week is the Blue damselfly (Austrolestes colensonis), which is the smaller cousin of the dragonfly. The males are blue and the females are a greener shade. Audio
Critter of the Week Flax Weevil
In today's session with DoC's Nicola Toki we discuss the Flax Weevil (Anagotus fairburni). Audio, Gallery
Critter of the Week - the striped skink
DoC's threatened species ambassador Nicola Toki is here to talk about this mysterious skink, which lives its entire life in its canopy above our heads, making it very difficult to find and protect. Audio
Critter of the Week Pitt Island Longhorn Beetle
DoC's Threatened Species Ambassador, Nicola Toki tells us about this species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. the Pitt Island Longhorn Beetle Audio
Critter of the Week: Tuatara Tick
The Tuatara Tick is a species that only parasites the tuatara of New Zealand. It is not closely related to any other tick. DoC's Threatened Species Ambassador, Nicola Toki reckons endangered parasites… Audio
Critter of the Week The Horrid Stick Insect
The Horrid Stick Insect is a member of the phasmatidae family, which contains some of the largest insects in existence, some being up to 30cm long Audio
Critter of the Week The Native NZ Sandfly
DoC's Threatened Species ambassador, Nicola Toki introduces us to a new critter of the week - the native New Zealand sandfly. Audio
Critter of the Week: Whittakers Skink
This week's critter is the exceptionally rare nocturnal Whittakers Skink, which can live 10 times longer than most tropical lizards. Audio
Critter of the Week Wetapunga
This is one of Nicola Toki's favourite critters as you can see! DoC's threatened species ambassador tells us all about this giant weta, Deinacrida heteracantha ('terrible grasshopper'). Audio
Critter of the Week Isaria sinclairii aka ‘vegetable cicada’
We kick off Critter of the Week 2019 with a Zombie-like cicada killing fungus. Audio
Critter of the Week Amelotopsis mayfly
In our final Critter of the week for 2018 we bring you the Amelotopsis mayfly! Audio, Gallery
Critter of the Week The Alborn Skink
The Alborn Skink. Discovered in the 1990s by famous herpetologist Anthony Whitaker (who died in 2014), in among other emerging research about skinks. Audio
Critter of the Week The Notoreas Moth
The brightly coloured Notoreas Moth is endemic to New Zealand and flies around during the day. DoC's threatened species ambassador, Nicola Toki tells us all about it. Audio
Critter of the Week The Chatham Island Mudfish
They might be called mudfish but are often found buried in the ground as they can survive out of the water! DoC's threatened species ambassador tells us all about this native fish. Audio
Critter of the Week - Maitai Cave Snail - Hadopyrgus ngataana
This fresh water snail is endemic to NZ. In fact it's endemic to the Maitai Cave in Maitai Valley in Nelson. Audio
Critter of the Week - Pill Millipedes
Pill millipedes are shorter and wider than other millipedes - living in the soil/leaf litter, they don't travel above or below it, but instead bulldoze through it with their robust bodies! Audio, Gallery
Critter of the Week Strigular Lichens
Most species of fungi live as independent organisms, but some are 'lichenised' and most of these cannot survive independently of a partner, such as an alga or blue/green alga (cyanobacterium). Audio, Gallery