Karori Wildlife Sanctuary released 86 Cook Strait Giant Weta today.

They advertised the times at 2pm until 5 so we turned up at about 3:30 to find them releasing the last one. I was rather disappointed, I'd been looking forward to seeing them!

I only managed a couple of photos and they didn't focus properly :confused:

This is a female

And this is a male

Fascinating creatures!

Apparently these ones can reach about 27g, and the really big ones in the display case above can get to 70g!

Do they get annoyed when you pick them up Rob....or are the ones near you getting used to being handled

They do! The female one was really miffed at being carried about in a box and when she was put on the floor she was raising her spiked back legs threateningly!

They can give you a nip but they're not poisonous or anything.

We get the smaller ones (about 6cm long body) in our garden. This guy had a nibble on SWMBO's glove as I went to fetch the camera!

would not want to meet 1 of them on a dark night... :eek:

You just had to go and do it didn’t you! Giant earwigs!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

We need fluffy bunny thingies and cuddly do-dahs Rob.

You just had to go and do it didn’t you! Giant earwigs!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

We need fluffy bunny thingies and cuddly do-dahs Rob.

I thought you'd know better than to look

Horrible

I thought you'd know better than to look

Don’t start that you should know whats in the post stuff……..please Actually I knew what the Wetas looked like (I’ve seen enough of your pictures of the bl00dy things:eek:) but hoped you would balance it up with something cute. Yin and Yang and stuff……innit.

Don’t start that you should know whats in the post stuff……..please Actually I knew what the Wetas looked like (I’ve seen enough of your pictures of the bl00dy things:eek:) but hoped you would balance it up with something cute. Yin and Yang and stuff……innit.

How's this?

You see? You can do it if you try:D

Still waiting for more fluffy Kiwi chicks though:thumbup:

You see? You can do it if you try:D

Still waiting for more fluffy Kiwi chicks though:thumbup:

Yes, come on, Rob More pics of Kiwi Chicks please!!!

Those weta things are minging.

How do you feel about lizards? I forget

Yes, come on, Rob More pics of Kiwi Chicks please!!!

Those weta things are minging.

He is obsessed with them I am afraid. I think they have him under mind control. He did have some other cute fluffy bird pictures too, I just can’t remember what they were called. Sort of fat fluffy Kiwis and very young.

How do you feel about lizards? I forget

Lizards are OK:thumbup:

But baby birds are better

He is obsessed with them I am afraid. I think they have him under mind control. He did have some other cute fluffy bird pictures too, I just can’t remember what they were called. Sort of fat fluffy Kiwis and very young.

There were the weka chicks I photographed on my hols.

Have another lizard while my birdie photos upload:

These are tuatara - a New Zealand native lizard they reckon has stayed relatively unchanged for about 180 million years. Same as the weta.

Weka chicks!!! That’s the ones. I knew they sounded like Weta. Nice lizard.

Not the best photo but this is a bellbird:

He is obsessed with them I am afraid. I think they have him under mind control. He did have some other cute fluffy bird pictures too, I just can’t remember what they were called. Sort of fat fluffy Kiwis and very young.

I'm not too keen on pictures of fat birds TBH. Fluffy Kiwi chicks are OK though.

I don't mind Lizards, at least they have some personality.

Why is it called a bell bird??

Why is it called a bell bird??

Because of their song

New Zealand Birds | Birds | Gallery | Bellbird, Anthornis melanura

This is a Kaka - North Island parrot

More poor photography:

This is the NZ Robin

There is a theme here…..Weka, Kaka…. Go on, stick a Weka up for me please;)

This is the NZ Robin

Bonny bird:thumbup:

Here's a fully grown weka:

Mum and babies