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The delicate skink, aka dark-flecked garden sun skink, garden skink, delicate garden skink, rainbow skink, plague skink, or metallic skink, while native to Australia, are invasive in New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, and Hawaii. These lizards face the threats of feral and domestic cats, that can sometimes wipe out entire […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The great spotted kiwi, aka great grey kiwi or roroa, is the largest species of kiwi and hails from the South Island of New Zealand. Kiwis are flightless birds. These birds face the threat of invasive species in the form of cats, dogs, feral pigs, and stoats. As a result, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The European hedgehog, aka common hedgehog or West European hedgehog, can be found throughout Europe and has been introduced to New Zealand as well. They run the risk of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, as well as farming and ranching; habitat division at […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The swamp harrier, aka Australasian marsh harrier, Australasian harrier, or kāhu, hails from Australasia, Australia, and New Zealand. These raptors face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of wetland drainage for farming and ranching, residential developments, and commercial developments; vehicle strike (being hit by vehicles) due […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The masked lapwing, aka masked plover, spur-winged plover, or plover, hails from Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. These shorebirds face the threats of invasive species like cats, dogs, rats, and foxes; vehicle strike (being hit by vehicles); human disturbances; and habitat loss and destruction. However, they are abundant enough […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The stitchbird, aka tihi, ihi, tihe, kotihe, tiora, tiheora, tioro, kotihe-wera (male only), hihi-paka (male only), hails from Little Barrier Island. These birds have been extirpated from all other locales. They face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of farming and ranching; invasive species, such as […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The morepork owl, aka morpork, mopoke, or ruru, hails from New Zealand and Norfolk Island. 3 subspecies are recognized, 1 extinct, 1 a hybrid, plus the original species. Seeing as they face no major threats, sans perhaps habitat loss due to deforestation, these owls are listed as Least Concern by […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The New Zealand sea lion, aka Hooker’s sea lion, pakake (for both male and female), whakahao (male), or kake (female) in Māori, hails from New Zealand and primarily breeds on New Zealand’s subantarctic Auckland and Campbell islands, and have recently been slowly breeding and recolonizing around the coast of New […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The common pheasant, aka ring-necked pheasant, or blue-headed pheasant, is native to Asia. However, they have been introduced to Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand as game birds. The primary threat these birds face is that of hunting. But these pheasants are quite abundant with a […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The New Zealand fur seal, aka Australasian fur seal, South Australian fur seal, Antipodean fur seal, long-nosed fur seal, or kekeno, can be found throughout western, southern, and eastern Australia, as well as surrounding New Zealand. These fur seals dwell in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. New Zealand fur seals […]

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