New Zealand Invertebrates

While some might not find them the most charismatic of animals, the world is home to more invertebrates than any other animal group. 

In fact, they make up 95% of the animals on Earth and are the foundation of our ecosystem – aerating soil, pollinating plants, breaking down organic matter and improving water quality.  

Aotearoa New Zealand is home to more than 33,000 invertebrate species including the katipō spider, kauri and flax snails, velvet worms, giraffe weevil and more than 100 species of wētā. One New Zealand species Auckland Zoo has spent a decade intensely focusing our conservation efforts on is the wētāpunga – one of 11 species of giant wētā.  

New Zealand’s largest wētā, the wētāpunga was historically found from Auckland to Paihia, but due to habitat loss and introduced predators the species became restricted to just one offshore island, Te Hauturu-o-Toi. In a specialised behind-the-scenes facility, our Zoo ectotherm team raised thousands of wētāpunga for release onto eight additional islands. In 2026 we supported our friends at Butterfly Creek to release the species onto a ninth island – a conservation success story! 

Auckland Zoo visitors can connect with the wētāpunga in Te Pō /The Night in Te Wao Nui, Australian invertebrates like the goliath stick insect, redback spider and Avondale or social huntsman spider on our Australian Bush Track, and the Andean stripe knee tarantula in our South America Rainforest Track.   

Read more about New Zealand invertebrate news and conservation in these stories.