Conservation
Bat, Kākāpō out of Bird of the Year
It's fair to say some feathers were ruffled last year when the Pekapeka tou-roa - or Long-Tailed Bat - was crowned Bird of the Year.
Well, it will be a fleeting reign.
Forest and Bird has announced… Audio
Environmentalists, mana whenua criticise PM's 'appalling' gift to US president
The origins of a swamp kauri bowl gifted to the US President are causing controversy in Te Tai Tokerau - with one environmentalist calling the present an "appalling" mistake.
Kākāpō population at its highest in almost 50 years
Conservation efforts are paying off with the population reaching its highest level since records began in the 1970s. Audio
Poutini iwi oppose national parks extension through stewardship land review
West Coast iwi will be opposing extension of national parks in the region through the stewardship land review process, the West Coast Regional Council has heard.
Kākāpō population reaching new heights
Kākāpō conservation efforts are paying off.
Latest figures show a population of 216 birds, the highest since records began.
Kākāpō recovery programme science advisor Dr Andrew Digby tells us what… Audio
Saving NZ's rarest orchid from extinction, scientists band together
Efforts are being made to bring a rare native orchid back from the brink of extinction. The swamp helmet orchid is the smallest and rarest of 22 'Corybas' species in New Zealand. Curator of Plants at… Audio
The battling beetle
With their antler-like mandibles, Helm's stag beetles often get stuck in to one another. But they are fighting a bigger battle too - against predators and habitat loss. PhD student Luna Thomas is… Audio
Our Changing World - Looking for stag beetles
Our Changing World takes a trip to Rakiura Stewart Island with PhD student Luna Thomas to search for the endemic Helm’s Stag Beetle. Audio
Where the wild grapes grow: The stray vines in unexpected places
A Marlborough weed controller has been finding an increasing amount of wild grape and wild olive plants in the region.
World-first predator eradication attempt on Rakiura
A project to remove all major pest species from Rakiura / Stewart Island will be the largest island-based predator eradication attempt in the world.
What you can do to keep kea safe at Arthur's Pass
It seems curiosity could be killing kea at an alarming rate. A number of the young endangered parrots have been squashed on the roads near Arthur Pass National Park.
And encounters with humans could… Video, Audio
Rat numbers triple on New Plymouth's Coastal Walkway
Rat numbers have tripled on New Plymouth's popular Coastal Walkway this year, posing a threat to kororā/little blue penguin, but experts say the long-term trend continues to be downwards.
Giant snails are making a (slow) comeback
Giant carnivorous land snails are the newest species to move into Nelson's Brook Waimārama Sanctuary.
Deer wreaking havoc on Rakiura/Stewart Island, conservation board says
Rakiura iwi and residents have noticed an increase in numbers of the introduced pest on the island, and fear the impact they may be having on more remote areas of Rakiura National Park.
Te Pati Maori advocate at global summit against deep sea mining
Opponents of deep sea mining are taking their arguments onto the world stage at the United Nations Oceans Conference in Portugal.
Some Pacific leaders have declared their stance on the issue.
… Audio
A kaitiakitanga approach to studying pēpi kōura
Both Mātauranga Māori and marine science are informing PhD student Kiamaia Ellis’s research into the resilience of baby crayfish. Audio
Draft of rules for Aoraki Mount Cook to be released next year
A draft of the new rules governing Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is expected to be published in 2023, three years after a review of them resumed.
Helping seabirds return to Karioi
Working with the community and local schools, the Karioi Project aims to turn the tide on biodiversity loss in their area. In recent years they've rallied around the grey-faced petrel, or Ōi, who they… Audio
Our Changing World - Karioi and the grey-faced petrel
Claire Concannon visits Raglan to chat with the Karioi project team. With extenstive predator-trapping, bird-monitoring and education programmes, the team are working with the community to help turn… Audio
Newly-approved weedkiller could help halt spread of wilding pines
Method 240 SL is new to Aotearoa and can be applied aerially to better target hard-to-reach areas of the country.
