Auckland Biodiversity

04/09/2026

Voting is now open for the most prestigious election in Aotearoa!🐥

Te Manu Rongonui o te Tau | Bird of the Year 2026 is officially underway, and some of remarkable feathered residents deserve a moment in the spotlight Tāmaki Makaurau

Although, the bird we're backing might not appreciate all this attention. It's more accustomed to blending into the reeds than basking in the light...

Can you guess which bird has our vote? 👀

Cast your vote in the link below 👇

03/09/2026

Cat desexing and microchipping vouchers are back for 2026!

We're supporting the SPCA's Snip 'n' Chip campaign to help cat owners across Auckland desex and microchip their cats.

How it works:
• Free vouchers are available only in selected postcodes near threatened species sites

🐈Check your postcode now – vouchers are limited in each area! 🔗https://book.spcadesexing.nz/

• Cat already desexed? You can get a voucher for microchipping only. Already microchipped? You can get a free desexing-only voucher instead.

• If you are not eligible for a free voucher, you can still get desexing and microchipping for $30 by directly emailing: [email protected]

This service is delivered by the SPCA and made possible by funding from the Natural Environment Targeted Rate and six Local Boards:
Albert-Eden Local Board, Kaipātiki Local Board, Ōrākei Local Board, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, Rodney Local Board

Photo credit (right): Adele Krantz

01/09/2026

🐟 Whitebait season starts today, 1 September.
Did you know ‘whitebait’ isn't one fish? It's the young of five native migratory galaxiid species. Īnanga are the most common whitebait species - so the whitebait in your net are mostly baby īnanga (85% of the total number of fish) heading upriver to grow into adults.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is urging whitebaiters to help keep waterways pest-free this season by following Check, Clean, Dry advice, so pests don't hitch a ride.

Freshwater pests like didymo, w**ds and invasive freshwater clams can reduce water quality, clog nets and choke waterways, including whitebait habitats. DOC Freshwater Species Manager Emily Funnell says moving from one river to another increases the risk of taking a nasty with you.

“Ever since invasive freshwater clams were found in Waikato waterways three years ago, and last year at Lake Rotomanu, Taranaki, we’ve been encouraging whitebaiters in these areas to stick to one river for the whole season."

No matter where you fish in Aotearoa, always make sure you follow the Check, Clean, Dry advice and follow the whitebaiting rules. By doing this, you're helping take the pressure off these species and their habitat.

🔗Whitebaiting rules, safety info and Check, Clean, Dry advice on DOC's website - see link in the comments below👇

28/08/2026

Not all forests are green!😮🌲

This is the Takapuna Reef Fossil Forest.

Found across the walkway between Milford and Takapuna Beaches is one of the world's best examples of a lava-preserved fossil forest. In the pictures below you can see (outlined in red) the lava moulds where trees once used to be. Some resemble tree trunks and others look like fallen branches.

How did this happen?
💥A long, long time ago (approximately 190,000 years ago), Lake Pupuke volcano erupts, at a time of low sea level, surrounded by forest. Lava flows from the volcano eastward towards what would have been the Waitematā valley.
💥Along the lava's journey towards the valley, it comes across kauri trees and cools down
💥The tree burns down, but leaves a circular mould of cooled lava
💥Ash fall from the eruption buries the cooled lava flow, which preserves it
💥Sea levels rise, and through coastal erosion, exposes the lava moulds we see today!

It's a fascinating reminder that the landscapes around us haven't always looked the way they do now. Understanding features like the fossil forest connects us to Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland's natural history.

😮 Next time you're walking between Milford and Takapuna, see if you can spot the signs of this ancient forest beneath your feet! 🌋🌳 (best seen at low tide).

👍Love discovering the stories in our landscapes? Follow our page for more from across Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

27/08/2026

🦋 Scaly-winged friends!🦋

The scientific order Lepidoptera literally means "scaly wings" and includes both moths and butterflies. Their wings are covered in thousands of tiny scales, giving them their colours and patterns.

Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland is home to many native and endemic moths and butterflies. While they may be overlooked or swatted away, these insects play a vital role in healthy ecosystems. They help pollinate plants, recycle nutrients, and are important indicators of forest health.

✨ Pūriri Moth
The largest moth in Aotearoa, spending most of its life inside a pūriri tree. It can take more than four years to develop from egg to adult!

✨ North Island Coastal Copper Butterfly
Despite its name, it's a butterfly, not a moth. Found throughout much of Aotearoa, they're often seen fluttering in groups during the warmer months.

✨ Māui Copper Butterfly
Often mistaken for other copper butterfly species, these butterflies feed with their wings closed but love basking in the sun with their wings spread wide.

Next time you spot one of these scaly-winged friends, take a moment to appreciate the important role they play in our natural world. 🌿🦋

25/08/2026

"There's so much pollen on my car!" 🤧

During the months of July to September, you may notice a thick layer of yellow pollen on your car window (if you park outside). What is it? Where did it come from?

Flowers (pollen-like) of Sydney Golden Wattles, is what you're likely finding!🌾

Native to Australia, but considered a w**d in Aotearoa/New Zealand, these trees can grow up to 10m tall and, right now, have a bright yellow flowers! They're considered a w**d because they form dense stands, outcompetes native trees and tolerates the whole range of soil types.

See some in the near-by reserve? Maybe they're in your backyard... click the link in the comments to find out ways to remove them👇

20/08/2026

⚠ Pest plant of the month: Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)⚠

🌿Jasmine is listed as a pest plant under Auckland Council's Regional Pest Management Plan, so it can't be sold, distributed or planted anywhere in Auckland (unless you're relocating an existing one on your property) – but if you've got it at home, it's best to remove it.

You can replace it with a New Zealand native jasmine, or another native climber such as, clematis, puawhananga or kōhia.

While it’s white flowers smell fragrant, jasmine is a vigorous climbing vine that smothers native seedlings, shades out the understorey and stops our forests regenerating naturally. It spreads easily through dumped garden waste and won’t struggle to regrow from stem fragments left on the ground.

This pest plant flowers in late spring, so now is the best time to get on top of it before it takes off. Talk to your neighbours too - tackling it together makes all the difference.

Find out how to identify and control jasmine using our Pest search tool on our conservation portal, Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau:
🔗https://tinyurl.com/JasminePestSearch

19/08/2026

Nine kōkako have made the journey north to Mataraua, near Waipoua Forest, to help boost a struggling population and prevent local extinction. Another 11 are set to follow!

18/08/2026

💚 Around $13 in every $100 of your rates helps protect Auckland's natural environment.

That contribution helps look after our precious native species, landscapes and wild places. It also supports managing waste and caring for the environment, so our region stays clean, healthy and thriving for future generations.

Part of this is the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR), which funds work to protect and restore native plants and wildlife - from programmes tackling kauri dieback to keeping invasive species out of the Hauraki Gulf, and more.

Read more about how your rates support our natural environment.
🔗https://tinyurl.com/environmentrates

Your rates contribution helps protect Auckland’s precious native species, landscapes and ecosystems, while managing waste and caring for the environment so our region remains clean, healthy and thriving for future generations. Protection from pests  From our iconic kauri forests to native birds, ...

15/08/2026

🌳 A new boardwalk at Soldiers Bay is helping protect our treasured kauri from kauri dieback disease.

Now under construction on Auckland's North Shore, the new boardwalk and bridge will keep people off the surrounding ground and away from kauri roots, while also giving visitors safer, year-round access to the bay.
The new route replaces an informal path and stepping-stone crossing that can only be used at low tide.

💚 The project is funded through Auckland Council's Natural Environment Targeted Rate and forms part of a wider programme of investment in kauri protection and track improvements across Kaipātiki.

Chair of the Policy, Planning and Development Committee, Councillor Richard Hills, says the project balances public access with environmental protection. "Residents have told us how important it is to stay connected to these beautiful local spaces while protecting the rest of our reserves from kauri dieback. The new boardwalk will ensure more people can continue to enjoy Soldiers Bay for years to come."

Construction began on 27 July and is expected to be completed by mid-November 2026. Temporary access restrictions may be needed during construction to keep the public safe.

🔗 Read the full article on OurAuckland:

Visitors to Soldiers Bay on Auckland's North Shore will soon enjoy safer, year-round access thanks to a new boardwalk and bridge connection now under construction.