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Pimelea Villosa (Sand Daphne)

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 The Endangered Sand Daphne  What is the Sand Daphne you may ask? Well, it is a s mall “hairy” shrub that reaches about 30 cm in height with small leaves and a cluster of furry white flowers. They are very unique plants considering some of them have both viable male stamens and female styles within the same flower (aka hermaphrodites). These plants are endemic to New Zealand, meaning they can only be found there!       What is their role and why should we care? The plant’s flowers mature into tiny white fruits which are eaten by local birds and lizards. The Sand Daphnes are a vital source of nutrients for the wildlife and without them, it would put surrounding endangered plants and wildlife in more danger. In turn, the animals deposit the seeds in other areas of the environment, helping the plant repopulate.  Cause of decline The damp areas where the Sand Daphne live, are invaded by hordes of weeds after being planted with marram grass and pine plantat...
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Kakapo

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The Kākāpō Hi everyone! Today, I want to introduce you all to the Kākāpō (Kah-kah-Poe), one of the rarest and most unique birds that can exclusively be found in New Zealand! Unfortunately, there are only 247 Kākāpō estimated to still be alive. These birds are incredible for a plethora of reasons: they are the heaviest living parrot species in the world, they are nocturnal, they are flightless, they are one of the longest-living bird species in the world (up to 90 years in the wild), and they are generally solitary birds who mate every 2 to 4 years! Having once roamed most of New Zealand’s land, Kākāpō are now only found on three tiny islands just off the coast of New Zealand’s mainland: Codfish Island (Whenua Hou), Anchor Island, and Little Barrier Island. Three of the main roles Kākāpōs play in their ecosystem are… Seed dispersal: They consume a variety of plants, fruits, seeds, leaves, and bark, and as they venture through their habitats, they disperse those seeds to different locati...
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