Why is our native wildlife so vunerable?

September 2, 2018 3:33 pm

New Zealand’s plants and animals evolved in isolation from other land masses, humans and mammalian predators for millions of years. Many are found nowhere else in the world.

Many of our native birds are long-lived, have slow breeding rates, small clutch sizes and large body sizes and eggs. Several species are nocturnal.
Flightlessness evolved in the absence of ground dwelling predators.

Birds like kiwi, kakapo, kōkako, kākā, kererū, toutouwai, tīeke and species of native bats, reptiles, snails and insects cannot co-exist with the introduced possums, stoats and rats that have invaded our landscapes over the past few centuries.

See why in this video.

Only on predator-free islands, in fenced sanctuaries and within areas under regular predator control can many of our wildlife species survive and thrive.