Our indigenous species and their habitats are a taoka (treasured possessions).
Otago stands out as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most diverse regions for indigenous species.
From the rare Shepherd’s beaked whale best known globally from the submarine canyons off Dunedin’s coast to a small wooly grey herb called Craspedia argentia found in only one location in Central Otago, our region’s indigenous species (animals, plants, and fungi) beautify our landscapes and make up vibrant ecosystems.
Ika oneone or amphibians are small vertebrates that need water, or a moist environment, to survive.
Pekapeka or bats are Aotearoa New Zealand’s only native land mammals.
Hekaheka or fungi are not plants or animals, forming their own separate diverse kingdom, including mushrooms, toadstools, puffballs, yeast, bread mould and skin infections.
Nakinaki or vascular plants have a specialised system of tubes to distribute resources throughout the plant.
Non-vascular plants are those without a vascular system and grow from spores. They include bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) and algae.
Ngārara or reptiles are vertebrates covered in special skin made up of scales, bony plates, or a combination of both.
Ngaokeoke or peripatus or velvet worms are little-known nocturnal invertebrates of Aotearoa New Zealand’s undergrowth
