Diverse and gorgeous are two words that best define the wildlife found in New Zealand. The flora and fauna here are extraordinary, as much of it is indigenous and found nowhere else on the planet. A fairly young country in terms of geology, the flora and fauna found in New Zealand go way back to when this island nation was once part of the supercontinent of Gondwanaland. Mainly due to its isolation from the rest of the world, New Zealand today is a treasure trove of some of the most unique and remarkable animals and plants on earth.

New Zealand Flora

Presently around 80% of the plants and trees found in New Zealand are endemic. The kowhai, the pohutukawa, the rata, the rimu, the totara and the kauri are some of the many beautiful and colorful floras that can be found growing all over New Zealand. The giant kauri is one of the largest trees in the world and can be seen in the Waipoua Forest in Northland, which is home to over 75% of the kauri found in New Zealand today. Besides trees, tussock and other grasses and shrubs can also be seen all across the country as well, the most prominent of which is the tree fern. A number of fern varieties can be found in New Zealand, of which the silver tree fern is used as the national sport symbol and can be seen on the jerseys of all the rugby and cricket players.

New Zealand Protected Areas

Today more than a third of New Zealand is protected through national parks and reserves, which safeguard a variety of habitats from mangrove forests to fiery volcanoes. Currently, fourteen national parks, two marine reserves and three maritime parks have been set up across New Zealand. New Zealand’s sub-Antarctic islands, the Te Wahipouamu area and the Tongariro National Park are World Heritage sites.

New Zealand Fauna

While not many mammals can be found in New Zealand, this country is the habitat of plethora of birds. The now extinct moa, the kiwi, the takahe, the tui, the kakapo, the kaka, the kea parrot and the pukeko, are a few of the many bird varieties that can be seen throughout the country. The Haast’s eagle, the largest bird of prey on the planet was also found in New Zealand; unfortunately this bird is now extinct.

Three species of bats, skinks, frogs and geckos are also native to New Zealand. One of the most unique reptiles in the country has to be the tuatara, which is considered by scientists to be a distant relative of the dinosaur. Often referred to as living fossils, tuataras are the only reptiles in the world to have beaks. You can catch a glimpse of a tuatara on Stephens Island in Marlborough Sound.

New Zealand has no venomous or predatory animals or reptiles, except for the katipo spider, which can be found on the western beaches of the North Island.