When Pete Bethune was bitten by a venomous snake in the Costa Rican jungle a couple of weeks ago, it was far from his first brush with death. Here the Kiwi conservationist’s daughter, Danielle Bethune, reflects on what she’s learnt from her unconventional father. “You haven’t lived until you have found a cause worth … Read more
Summer reissue: Squaaawk! Toby Morris meets the community trapping groups changing Wellington’s sky. First published 27 November, 2019. Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn more about how you can support us from as little as $1. … Read more
His commitment to kākāpō and takahē recovery is unrivalled, and it’s turned him into a bit of a social media star. Michelle Langstone talks to DOC science advisor Dr Andrew Digby on changing careers, his love for Twitter, and what it really takes to protect one of New Zealand’s most beloved birds. I meet Andrew … Read more
By granting a permit to OceanaGold to mine under DOC land in the Coromandel, the government is not only threatening an endangered species, says Catherine Delahunty – it’s threatening future generations. I woke up angry. The government has given a 40-year permit to OceanaGold to mine under DOC land behind Whangamatā. It’s a waste of … Read more
Matariki Williams is Te Papa’s Mātauranga Māori curator. In an extract from Te Manu Huna A Tāne, she writes about how honouring the kiwi became a lesson in honouring her own heritage. This essay has been abridged by Williams and its original title is Into the Void. There is a photo on my sideboard. It … Read more
This powerful collection of photographs and essays catalogues three generations of Ngāti Torehina ki Matakā learning to pelt North Island kiwi. Nāu, nā te Pākehā te kurī me te ngeru nāna i huna ngā kai o te motu nei, te weka, te kiwi, te kākāpō, te piopio, me te tini o ngā manu o te … Read more
Waitomo is a town built on tourism. But as overseas visitors who have been flocking to its spectacular network of glow-worm caves for over a century dry up, the future looks uncertain. More than 130 years ago, the eruption of Mount Tarawera killed an estimated 153 people and buried Te Otukapuarangi and Te Tarata, the … Read more
No matter how the world changes, Auckland Zoo will always have a role to play in its community. It’s a school, a mental health tool and a force against injustice; and now, it’s online. For almost a century, Auckland Zoo has brought the natural world to its urban community. It has wildlife found nowhere else … Read more
When we emerge from our Covid-19 lockdown will we still listen to the scientists, the statistics and the stories of the past? Will we listen to the lines? An essay by Paul Ward. Nearly 15 years ago, as part of research for a sci-fi film script I got in touch with epidemiologist Dr Michael Baker. … Read more
Squawk Squad is at the forefront of the predator control and pest trapping movement, and co-founder Fraser McConnell has just won a Sustainable Business Award for its work. He spoke to Alex Braae about why he sees that work as so important for the future. Fittingly for someone who has just been crowned as a … Read more
The Side Eye is a monthly non-fiction comic by Toby Morris, supported by NZ On Air. Read the rest of the series here.
The New Zealand wing of the world’s largest conservation organisation has crossed enemy lines to team up with two large fishing companies on a proposal to mitigate the threat to a critically endangered species… and other environment groups aren’t buying it. Wildlife conservation group WWF-New Zealand has partnered with two major fishing companies on a … Read more
The anti-1080 lobby has made a martyr out of kea, but that ignores another salient fact: kea survival in large part depends on pest control. Dave Hansford explores on the challenge to balance pest control with conservation. In April this year, Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP) announced that two kea had died after eating 1080 baits … Read more
Imagine if we treated our native birds with as little care as we do our precious fish stocks, writes ecologist Stella McQueen. Earlier this year, 900 at-risk native mudfish were relocated to make way for a wastewater development. But despite a huge amount of planning, volunteer hours, and a $160,000 bill, only a handful survived. … Read more
An ancient grove of pōhutukawa on Takapuna beach was once used by Māori to prepare the dead for burial. Today the trees are frail and pose a danger to the path below. Mana whenua want it closed but some residents want to keep it open as it provides easy access to the beach. There’s a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Wounds caused by UN Migration Pact drama still fester, Middlemore sources concerned deadly flu cases contracted in hospital, and rat populations ballooning. It started off as little more than an obscure, non-binding agreement for the United Nations to mull over. It became a rallying call for … Read more
If the government doesn’t include a comprehensive solution for Māui dolphins in this Threat Management Plan, it will be game over, writes Livia Esterhazy of WWF-New Zealand Once great flightless birds roamed Aotearoa’s forests. Before humans arrived, moa only had one predator, Haast’s eagle. But once humans were here, moa were hunted into extinction. We also … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Quiet fight over Central Otago mine roars into the headlines, Christchurch call summit gets agreement signed, and allegations made of widespread Uni cheating. This story has been building for a long time, but coverage has stepped up significantly in the past month, so it’s worth covering … Read more
An 1,800-page report, years in the making, has painted a profoundly stark picture for diversity. With up to a million species facing extinction, humanity itself is in peril, says the UN body that assesses the state of global ecosystems A selection of expert views on the report, compiled by the NZ and UK Science Media … Read more
Don Rowe meets the animals on the frontlines of New Zealand’s climate change challenge – and the zookeepers fighting to keep them thriving. In a low-roofed hut at the Auckland Zoo, Richard Jakob-Hoff is staring at a reptile. The tuatara, a young female, is staring straight back. With her head slightly cocked, claws splayed and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Judicial review action launched against Hit and Run inquiry, healthy new chunk for conservation estate, and changes to sex crime trial process recommended. The lawyers representing Afghan villagers caught up in Operation Burnham have launched a new legal action – this time against the inquiry itself. Operation … Read more
Auckland Zoo director Kevin Buley believes the majority of zoos around the world should be closed. However, he says Auckland Zoo is one of the few good ones. He showed Alex Braae around the zoo and explained why he believes the animals here live better lives than they would in the wild. A spider monkey … Read more
Asking eight-year-olds the hard questions about climate change wasn’t really the plan for John Daniell and Noelle McCarthy when Auckland Zoo asked them to do a podcast. But it turns out that kids are readier to look at our environmental reality in the eye than most. Listen to Good Ancestors, a four-part podcast that examines … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Phil Goff confirms he’ll run for another term as Auckland mayor, Greens unveil members bill with sweeping electoral changes, and real estate agents are giving up. Auckland mayor Phil Goff has finally confirmed he’ll be seeking another term, and hasn’t shied away from the challenges Auckland … Read more
As the Australian heatwave spills across the Tasman pushing up temperatures in New Zealand, we take a look at the conditions that caused a similar event last year and the impacts it had. Last summer’s heatwave gave New Zealand its warmest summer and the warmest January on record. It covered an area of four million square … Read more
Banning 1080 would lead to the annihilation of nearly all New Zealand’s native land animals and birds, writes Forest & Bird’s Kevin Hague. Is this really what our leading animal welfare organisation wants? On Monday morning the SPCA posted an article in which they called for a ban on 1080, suggested that introduced predators could … Read more
The renewal of the takahē population is one of the most remarkable stories of survival in New Zealand’s conservation history. Alison Ballance was there for the 70th anniversary of their rediscovery. This piece was originally published on RNZ. It can be listened to as an Insight documentary here. Seventy years ago, takahē – thought to … Read more
Jaws has a lot to answer for. Rather than being terrified of sharks, we should embrace shark tourism to make people realise that they need to be protected, writes Michelle Barnes and Sarah Ruth Sutcliffe. Shark ecotourism can change people’s attitudes about sharks and make them more likely to support conservation projects – even after … Read more
Last week the government announced the next step in their One Billion Trees programme: $240 million towards new tree planting projects. While this a win for our native habitats and the fight against climate change, businesses shouldn’t use this as an excuse to pass the buck in funding native forestry, writes Stephen Tindall. I’ve always … Read more