If the discovery of an ancient New Zealand dolphin species intrigues you, you might be interested in reading books about the unique and wonderful species of Aotearoa. Read stories about the fairy tern, Māui dolphin, yellow-eyed penguin, kakī, greater short-tailed bat, and tāiko; some of which are New Zealand’s most endangered species. These books come with beautiful photos, interesting stories, and scientific discoveries to take you on a journey, exploring the unique creatures of the wilderness.

Rare wildlife of New Zealand / Ballance, Alison
“This book contains 100 New Zealand endangered species of all kinds: plants, birds, insects, fungi, mammals. Organised by habitat forests, gardens, islands, wetlands, high country, and sea and shore, it gives an important snapshot of the critical state of the wildlife in our country. Beautifully photographed with accessible and informative text. At the same time, it contains many surprises: among our most endangered species are kiwi, tuatara, flax, grasshoppers, hebes, crabs, and dolphins.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Whio : saving New Zealand’s blue duck / Young, David
“The blue duck, or whio, is one of New Zealand’s ancient treasures, a beautiful torrent duck that once lived on clear, fast-flowing rivers throughout most of the country. Sadly the blue duck now belongs to the ‘second tier’ of endangered species (including kaka, kea, parakeets and North Island brown kiwi) whose numbers have dropped alarmingly in the last 15 years. A dedicated group of scientists, field workers and volunteers have set about saving the blue duck.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

The handbook of New Zealand mammals
“This is the only definitive reference on all the land-breeding mammals recorded in the New Zealand region (including the New Zealand sector of Antarctica). It lists 65 species, including native and exotic, wild and feral, living and extinct, residents, vagrants and failed introductions. It describes their history, biology and ecology, and brings together comprehensive and detailed information gathered from widely scattered or previously unpublished sources.” (Adapted from Amazon.com)

A photographic guide to moths & butterflies of New Zealand / Hoare, Robert J. B.
“New Zealand butterfly and moth can be found in a huge range of habitats, from the porch light to the forests, pastures and high country, it is easy to stumble across. We’ve discovered about 1720 named species so far- the great majority of which are moths, we have numerous unnamed species: probably well over 200 in all. This book, written and photographed by experts in their fields, introduces important and striking species of both North and South islands, their appearance, behaviour and life cycle.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Across species and cultures : whales, humans, and Pacific worlds
“The Pacific Ocean has been the meeting place between humans and whales, from Indigenous Pacific peoples who built lives and cosmologies around whales, to Euro-American whalers who descended upon the Pacific during the nineteenth century. While pointing to striking continuities in whaling histories around the Pacific, Across Species and Cultures also reveals deep tensions: between environmentalists and Indigenous peoples, between ideas and realities.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Back from the brink : the fight to save our endangered birds / Hutching, Gerard
“New Zealand has some of the most endangered species in the world: the kaki is the world’s rarest wading bird and the taiko is the most threatened seabird. Over the past decades scientists have effectively saved many of the most threatened bird populations; raising the black robin from five birds in 1980 to now numbers over 200; and kakapo of 24 in 2002, and to much populated today. The book is illustrated with superb photographs from DOC files.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Rescue : one New Zealander’s crusade to save endangered animals / Willis,  Michael
“Michael Willis’ received a life-changing book: Gerald Durell’s The Bafu Beagles. With a lot of hard work and ingenuity, Michael’s dream came true in 1974 when he opened Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, an immensely popular and prize-winning tourist attraction. Over the years Michael also saved rare livestock breeds, such as rediscovering the tasselled and beguiling kune kune pigs and saving the goats of Arapawa Islands.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Great stories of New Zealand conservation / Froggatt, Alan
“New Zealand has an extraordinary range of plants and animals, yet a great many species are trending towards extinction. While human are the villains of the story, we can also be heroes. Book covers stories and projects such as saving the kakapo and the yellow eyed penguin, control of the Himalayan tahr and the perils of commercial forestry across our Motu. Learn how New Zealand has led innovative conservation initiatives such as the relocation of birds and predator-proof fences.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)

Dolphins of Aotearoa : living with New Zealand dolphins / Peart, Raewyn
“For New Zealanders, encountering dolphins has been a life-changing experience. This book features the encountering with the famous dolphins: Pelorus Jack from the early 20th century, Opo in the 1950s, Maui and more recently Moko. It also chronicles the doomed attempts to keep dolphins in captivity such as Napier’s Marineland. Book is illustrated with historic and contemporary photos and enriched with research.” (Adapted from the Catalogue)