The largest of the world’s birds once roamed New Zealand’s landscapes; the three metre tall cousins of the ostrich and emu, known as moa; and the world’s largest eagle; harpagornis - an aerial predator so large it could attack even moa.  Both are now extinct.

The nocturnal kiwi is still to be found fossicking the volcanic forests, along with a host of exquisite songbirds including the tui, with its elegant tuft of white neck feathers, the blue-grey kokako, and endearing olive-green bellbird (known by Maori as korimako or makomako).

The Weta is a reclusive beetle-like insect that can grow to the size of a man’s hand. These large, flightless creatures have been around long enough to see dinosaurs come and go and to evolve into more than 100 different species. They are the gentle giants of the insect world.