As Central Otago's original dryland vegetation was destroyed by human fires and farming, so too many of its animal species were lost through habitat degradation and the impact of introduced mammals.
Browse the animal species gallery to get a taste of some of the animals native to the Central Otago drylands.
Species gallery
Kakariki
Scientific name: Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae. Common names: Kakariki, Red-crowned parakeet.
Image: Francesco Veronesi. CC-BY-SA 2.0Cromwell chafer beetle
Scientific name: Prodontria lewisii.
Image: Bruce McKinlay CC-BY-4.0Tuatara
Scientific name: Sphenodon
Image: Bernard Spragg, Public domain.Kea
Scientific name: Nestor notabilis.
Image: Bernard Spragg, Public domain.Looper moths
Family: Geometridae, Genus: Dichromodes.
Image: Birgit E. Rhode CC-BY 4.0Tree weta
Scientific name: Hemideina.
Image: Jerome Albre CC-BY 2.0Moa
Scientific name: Dinornithiformes.
Extinct.
Image: John Megahan CC-BY 2.5Weka
Scientific name: Gallirallus australis.
Image: Sid Mosdell CC-BY 2.0Rifleman
Scientific name: Acanthisitta chloris.
Image: Shellie Evans CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0Laughing owl
Scientific name: Sceloglaux albifacies.
Extinct.
Image: John Gerrard Keulemans. Public domain.Takahe
Scientific name: Porphyrio hochstetteri.
Image: Harald Selke. CC-BY-SA 2.0Swift moth
Family: Hepialidae.
Image: Birgit E. Rhode. CC-BY 4.0New Zealand quail
Scientific name: Coturnix novaezelandiae.
Extinct.
Image: Charles Joseph Hullmandel.Kaka
Scientific name: Nestor meridionalis.
Image: Digitalrails CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0Scree weta
Scientific name: Deinacrida connectens.
Image: NZSnowman CC-BY-SA 2.0Haast eagle
Scientific name: Harpagornis moorei.
Extinct.
Image: John Megahan CC-BY 2.5South Island goose
Scientific name: Cnemiornis calcitrans.
Extinct.
Image: Public domain.Southern brown kiwi
Scientific name: Apteryx australis.
Maori name: Tokoeka
Image: Glen Fergus CC-BY 2.0Show More