<- Homepage: Kōkako: restoring bird song to Mt Pirongia
adaptation
Physical and behavioural changes over time to fit new environments or conditions.
clutch
A group of eggs laid together.
Department of Conservation (DOC)
The state sector organization which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage.
endangered species
A group of animals that is declining in numbers and may become extinct soon.
endemic
Plants and animals that live only in New Zealand.
extinct
Having died out or ceased to exist.
habitat
Living place of plant or animal. incubate Keeping eggs warm by sitting on them.
juvenile
A plant or animal that has not yet reached maturity.
mammal
Warm-blooded animals with hair that breathe air, give birth to live young and nourish their young with milk.
nocturnal
Animals that are active at night rather than during the day.
omnivore
Animal that eats both plants and animals.
plumage
A bird’s feathers.
predator
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
prey
Verb - The act of hunting, catching, killing, and eating. Noun - The animal that is being hunted.
restoration
Environmental restoration includes cleaning up rubbish, planting natives, removing predators and weeds, removing exotic plants and reducing human impacts such as pollution. Restoration projects require good planning, knowledge of how the area used to function before it was changed by people and ongoing maintenance.
sanctuary
A place where wildlife is protected.
species
In classification, a species is a group of closely related organisms that can reproduce. A group of similar species forms a genus. In the scientific name of an organism, the second name is its species (for example, people are Homo sapiens - our species is sapiens).
territory
An area that an animal considers its own.
translocation
The managed movement of live native plants or animals (taonga) from one location to another. Translocation covers the entire process, including planning, the transfers, release, monitoring and post-release management.
