Animals

The kea's cry is getting louder around Nelson Lakes. Local trampers are delighted by the rising number of kea sightings in the area thanks to the Conservation Department's labour-intensive pest… Audio

Wellington boasts some pretty cosy spots for seals to shelter away from chilly southerlies.

A rarely spotted leopard seal with a nasty bite was found bathing in the rain on Freyberg Beach on Tuesday… Audio

Debbie Marshall is the operations manager at Tiritiri Matangi wildlife sanctuary. She tells Jesse what it takes to keep it all running smoothly and the challenges the island faces. Audio

Drones are being used to conduct aerial observations of a grounded fishing vessel in Banks Peninsula.

The 25 metre Austro Carina ran aground at Red Bluff, and had about 10,000 litres of diesel and… Audio

Environment Canterbury concedes an oil spill near a marine reserve is not able to be contained. The 25-metre long Austro Carina crashed into the rocks and ran aground at Canterbury's Shell Bay on the… Audio

Jesse talks to 15-year-old Josh Wilson-Jones who apparently has the best guinea pigs in the country. Audio

Cultural omen of darkness, reservoir of deadly viruses - bats don't have the best reputation. But they do have some impressive and potentially helpful biological quirks, including the ability to… Audio

Scientists are experimenting with sound to try and bring birds back to depleted environments. Breeding calls are being played out on Palmyra Atoll near Hawaii....and it appears to be working. The… Audio

New research has found tuatara sperm are fast moving and three times longer than the human version.

But the viability of the sperm is hugely variable.

Researchers at Victoria University of… Audio

A record number of pest traps - more than four tonnes in a single day - have been dropped into the lower North Island.

The Air Force used a NH90 helicopter to do the drop in the Ruahine Range.

The… Audio

There are birders and then there's Peter Kaestner. He's a retired US diplomat who holds the world record for seeing the most bird species, 9,856 birds. A duck on the back of our 10 dollar note was his… Audio

Most of us had never heard of cookiecutter sharks until a week or so ago, when they managed to sink a catamaran off the coast of Australia. New Zealand marine scientist and Auckland University's shark… Audio

The number of dogs put down across Auckland animal shelters has doubled - more than two and a half thousand dogs were euthanised in the last financial year. Auckland council says a lack of de-sexing… Video, Audio

A Burnham soldier is under investigation for alleged animal abuse including dumping a mistreated dog in a rubbish bin. The defence force has confirmed two dogs have been surrendered to the SPCA after… Video, Audio

The Great Ireland vs. New Zealand Bird-off returns for part 2 to decide once and for all which island nation boasts the best birds. Our avian aficionados return to argue their case in front of judge… Audio

The lions and tigers are ready to roar again as Whangārei's Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary re-opens it doors on Saturday. But the park has a troubled past – and its future is uncertain. Audio