New Zealand wildlife: What to expect and where to go wildlife spotting

New Zealand is home to some of the most spectacular wildlife on the planet. If you’re looking to experience some animal encounters unique to NZ, this is the guide for you. We’ll tell you about the NZ wildlife you can expect to see, and the best places across both islands for wildlife spotting. Rare penguins and reptiles, impressive sperm whales and fur seals, the national kiwi… We’ve covered it all!

Why is New Zealand wildlife so unique?

Without going into a lengthy description, New Zealand separated from the rest of the supercontinent at a time when most mammals had not yet appeared on land (85 million years ago).

Therefore, when the first humans arrived in New Zealand, the animals present at the time were mainly birds, reptiles, amphibians, and bats (who arrived there by flying). Non-flying land mammals may have lived there several millions of years ago, but likely went extinct before the appearance of humans.

Because of this unique situation, many birds that lived in New Zealand did not have to face predators for hundreds of thousands of years, until the arrival of humans. Some birds therefore stopped flying, as the protective mechanism of wings was no longer necessary for the survival of the species. As a result, some birds unique to NZ have evolved and can no longer fly, such as the kiwi, the takahe and the kakapo.

Also, there are no snakes in New Zealand!

Useful links

If you are passionate about animals and want to know more, once you have read our guide, you can visit the Department of Conservation website and the New Zealand online encyclopaedia.