Fact Sheets
Our Natural History Information Centre provides a number of fact sheets for school students, researchers and the general public to access.
Please check the following list to find your area of interest. Fact Sheets are in pdf format.
Plants
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Mistletoe
New Zealand is home to eight species of native mistletoe that fall into two general groups: - the cryptic and rather colourless dwarf mistletoes and the so-called loranthaceous mistletoes, several of which are rather showy
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 83 KB
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Three Kings Vine Blue Duck / Whio
The Three Kings vine (Tecomanthe speciosa), or native bignonia, was first discovered in 1945 on the Three Kings Islands (located off the northern tip of New Zealand) during a scientific survey
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 69 KB
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Animals
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Bat
Bats belong to one of the most diverse groups of mammals in the world that consists of approximately 950 species. New Zealand has two known species of bat - the long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) and the lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata).
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 114 KB
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Blue Duck / Whio
Blue ducks are found from the central North Island southwards. In the North Island they are found in some numbers on the Tongariro, Whakapapa and Manganuiaoteao Rivers and the streams and creeks that feed them. Named ‘whio’ by Maori after the distinctive whistling call of the male, the blue duck is one of New Zealand’s ancient bird species
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 62 KB
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Katipo
New Zealand is home to two species of katipo. Latrodectus katipo is found on many North Island sandy beaches in base of the grasses and sedges growing at the back of the beach. The species is also found in the South Island but is limited to only part way down the West Coast and as far as Dunedin on the East Coast.
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 55 KB
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Kereru / Wood Pigeon
The wood pigeon, or kereru as it is commonly known, is one of New Zealand’s most impressive species of bird. Distinctive due to their size and coloration, kereru occur throughout New Zealand with a second, distinct subspecies occurring on the Chatham Islands.
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 64 KB
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Kiwi
The kiwi is New Zealand’s most well known bird and as a result has been adopted as the national icon. The Latin name for the genus, Apteryx, literally means wingless. This is, however, misleading as kiwis do in fact have small, reduced stumps in place of functional wings.
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 77 KB
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Tuatara
The tuatara is the last representative on Earth of a group of reptiles that appeared at the same time the dinosaurs were evolving.
Last updated on: 5 June 2007 || File Size: 94 KB
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