Endangered animals in New Zealand

The endangered Canterbury knobbled weevil

Define endangered animal

An endangered species is an animal or species that is in danger of becoming extinct. Meaning it's whole species are no longer around and in some cases that is really bad for other species and environments. It is like if all the bee's die out, no one will be able to pollinate flowers and produce honey. If this happens, some vegetables will not be able to grow.  

Endangered species in New Zealand 

- The Maui dolphin                                                                  

- The New Zealand Fairy tern

- The chesterfield skink

- The Mokohinau stag beetle 
- Eyelash Seaweed

- The Canterbury Knobbled Weevil

What is it?

The Canterbury knobbled weevil is an endangered beetle in New Zealand. Some people actually thought that the knobbled weevil was extinct because there had been no sightings since 1922, but it was rediscovered at Burkes Pass Scenic Reserve in 2004. They are 16mm in length and are identified by their dark brown to grey colour and their tubercles. Tubercles are a small rounded projection which is mostly found on the bone or surface on a animal. They are mostly found on speargrass also known as Spaniard. They eat the speargrass pollen. 

What will happen if it does not receive any help?

The weevils predators are rats, mice, hedgehogs, possums, cats and stoats. Habitat loss is also another major threat to the weevil. They could lose their habitats due to intentional or unintentional fires. This could kill the Weevils habitat: speargrass. Which would result in having no more of the Canterbury Knobbled weevil. 

How did it become endangered?
The knobbled weevil likes to eat the pollen from the speargrass plant. They have lost their habitats due to intentional or unintentional fires. They could have been eaten by predators. 

What is being done to help it
Since the Canterbury knobbled Weevil is critically endangered, people have been attempting to collect some of the speargrass seeds and then grow them for more habitats in a safer place for the weevil. 

How successful this has been?
This attempt to save the Weevil has not really been successful. In the new speargrass, you cannot find any Weevils, they have not really migrated. They are really close to being extinct.