© Danny Thornburrow, Landcare Research, NZ.

Species of the Day: Mahoenui Giant Weta The Mahoenui Giant Weta, Deinacrida mahoenui, is not yet officially listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM, however, its conservation status is potentially ‘Endangered’. It was not discovered until the 1960’s and is found only in New Zealand.

Geographical range

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This flightless arboreal insect was once widespread throughout the forests of the central North Island of New Zealand. However, only one population survived in a patch of gorse, considered a weed. This prickly plant provided protection for the Mahoenui Giant Weta from introduced mammals, such as rats, hedgehogs and possums. To reduce the risk of extinction, translocations of this gentle giant were made because this species is known only at a single location where there is a high fire risk. Research has found the translocated weta flourishing at only two locations, and these new populations have successfully become established in the absence of introduced mammals, particularly rats. Future efforts to establish Mahoenui Giant Weta should be in mammal-free sanctuaries, and long-term monitoring of all populations is required, particularly at sites where the likelihood of mammal re-invasion is high.

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The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership: IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe and Zoological Society of London.