New Zealand
Home > New Zealand
Animals
National Animal
The Kiwi“There cannot be a perfect civilization until humans realize that the rights of every living creature are as sacred as its own.”
Dr. David P. Jordan
Animals commonly seen in the wild
Marine fauna:
Tunas, marlins, sharks, cods, groupers, bass, flounders, dolphins, seals, whales.
Birds:
Kiwi, saddlebacks, gannets, skuas, penguins, shags, royal albatrosses.
Land mammals:
Deer, opossums, bats, rats, stoats.
Snakes and insects:
Lizards, butterflies, tuatara, geckos, skinks.
Common sights you will not like
In the city and on the road
New Zealand scores well on treatment of pets, making it quite rare to see stray dogs. On the other hand stray cats can be seen more commonly. Dogs are sometimes left tied up in yards.
In theCountryside
Stray animals, especially feral cats can be seen in farmlands and in the wild. Horseback riding and horse racing are still quite popular in New Zealand.
General animal welfare issues
In 2015, the Ministry for Primary Industries made changes to the Animal Welfare Act which improves welfare and protection of farm animals and pet animals.
Ratings for New Zealand Animals
On passing laws sanctioning cruelty to animals (from A -best- to G -worst) according to the World Animal Protection Index:
A
Hunting or poaching:
Hunting is allowed with permit and in specified regions. Common hunted animals include chamois, deer, feral goats, pigs and sheep, birds, rabbits, hares, wallabies, and ducks, some of which are considered to have negative impacts to the environment. Illegal fishing and fish dumping is still a problem in NZ and is not regulated.
Animal fights:
Animal fighting is illegal, but reports still claim there to be some going on under the radar.
We have not included the treatment of animals in the meat/fur/leather industries, zoos or circuses, animal testing as it iunfortunately still happens in most countries.
