Wildlife

Our shared homes

From seals and dolphins, to birds, bats, insects and reptiles – many fascinating animals can be found in New Zealand.

All over our country, animals have made their homes in rivers, caves, bushes, trees, and the mountains of Aotearoa. Whether these animals have arrived well before or after us, they are all living, feeling creatures that all deserve kindness and compassion. This planet is just as much theirs as it is ours, so we owe it to them to do our best to protect their welfare, as well as be considerate and respectful of their homes and their lives!

Over the years, humans have made massive changes to the habitats in which these animals live. As our towns and cities get bigger, sadly, forests, wetlands and other habitats get smaller. When a habitat is destroyed, it makes it harder (or sometimes impossible) for the plants, animals, and organisms to continue living there.

This can be a frightening experience for animals, especially if these areas are bare and unfamiliar. Since we humans have caused these significant changes to these natural environments, we have a responsibility to step up as animal guardians to protect our wildlife in a kind and compassionate way.

These environments are these animals’ homes and are made up of living things that depend on one another, if one of these elements were to disappear, it would greatly and most often negatively affect the rest of the environment – this is why it’s so important for us to protect and promote these areas so that both animals and humans can enjoy them for decades to come.

Explore these extraordinary habitats and the animals that live there below!