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.
Ngaro huruhuru or native bees are relatively small, non-aggressive and mostly solitary
Manu or birds are the only living vertebrates with feathers.
Carnivorous land snails in Aotearoa New Zealand includes medium- to large-sized snails with some species growing up to 9 cm.
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.
Kekeno or New Zealand fur seals and pakake or New Zealand sea lions are large-bodied mammals.
Pūngāwerewere or spiders are eight-legged creatures known for making silk webs.
Ngaokeoke or peripatus or velvet worms are little-known nocturnal invertebrates of Aotearoa New Zealand’s undergrowth
Wētā, cave wētā, crickets and grasshoppers belong to a diverse group of mainly medium- to large-sized terrestrial insects.
We have compiled a list of species found only in Otago.
We have developed a range of resources on indigenous biodiversity in Otago, including regional threat assessment reports, educational factsheets and posters about species, and an online native planting guide to inform ecological restoration efforts.
