S&P’s wildlife spotlight: stick insect (Niveaphasma annulata)
We’ve always been fascinated by these amazing insects - that really do so convincingly resemble sticks! But, since moving to our new home in 2020 - where there happens to be a healthy population of a particular species (Niveaphasma annulata) - our interest in them has grown even more! Niveaphasma annulata is a relatively common species of stick insect in the southern half of the south island of New Zealand. While Niveaphasma is the smaller of the stick insect species in NZ, they…
S&P’s wildlife spotlight: pīwakawaka
Pīwakawaka (NZ fantail, Rhipidura fuliginosa) are friendly little birds that can sometimes be seen flittering between the branches as they search for insects; but are more often heard before they are seen with their very characteristic call (I can’t even put it into words, but it involves lots of chirping!). My fondest memories of these birds are from when…
S&P’s wildlife spotlight: the toroa
This month’s wildlife spotlight is a species we are so lucky to have breeding just ‘down the road’ from us - the toroa (Northern Royal Albatross, Diomedea sandfordi).
S&P’s wildlife spotlight: the tuatara
The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) is a truly unique species - and an easy pick for our wildlife spotlight this month! Yes - they look like a lizard - but they are not! They instead represent a distinct lineage of reptiles…
S&P’s wildlife spotlight: the kākāpō
The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) is a large, flightless parrot - endemic to New Zealand (meaning it occurs nowhere else in the world). We were inspired to create a print of the kākāpō after…