Home > Otago drylands > Animals
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 2.0
Cromwell chafer beetle
Scientific name: Prodontria lewisii.Image: Bruce McKinlay CC-BY-4.0
Tuatara
Scientific name: SphenodonImage: 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 4.0
Tree weta
Scientific name: Hemideina.Image: Jerome Albre CC-BY 2.0
Moa
Scientific name: Dinornithiformes.Extinct.
Image: John Megahan CC-BY 2.5
Weka
Scientific name: Gallirallus australis.Image: Sid Mosdell CC-BY 2.0
Rifleman
Scientific name: Acanthisitta chloris.Image: Shellie Evans CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0
Laughing owl
Scientific name: Sceloglaux albifacies.Extinct.
Image: John Gerrard Keulemans. Public domain.
Takahe
Scientific name: Porphyrio hochstetteri.Image: Harald Selke. CC-BY-SA 2.0
Swift moth
Family: Hepialidae.Image: Birgit E. Rhode. CC-BY 4.0
New Zealand quail
Scientific name: Coturnix novaezelandiae.Extinct.
Image: Charles Joseph Hullmandel.
Kaka
Scientific name: Nestor meridionalis.Image: Digitalrails CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0
Scree weta
Scientific name: Deinacrida connectens.Image: NZSnowman CC-BY-SA 2.0
Haast eagle
Scientific name: Harpagornis moorei.Extinct.
Image: John Megahan CC-BY 2.5
South 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 2.0
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