
Protecting our wetlands and critically endangered wildlife
Wetlands are a precious part of our ecosystem, acting like the kidneys of the earth, cleaning the water that flows into them. They trap sediment and soils, filter out contaminants; can reduce flooding and protect coastal land from storm surge; and return nitrogen to the atmosphere. In New Zealand they support the greatest concentration of wildlife out of any other habitat and yet 90% of our wetlands have been cleared.
Many of the community conservation groups in the Hauraki Coromandel are working to protect remaining wetlands and the endangered species that inhabit them, such as the Matuku-Hūrepo or Australasian Bittern, pictured below.
This is a strikingly beautiful and secretive wetland bird that has perfected invisibility. Its colour and striations exactly mimic the close, vertical world of reeds and raupō, especially when it lifts its dagger beak right up, narrows itself to angular reed-thinness and sways gently with the wind-rustling stems. The male’s distinctive mating call is a sonorous, haunting boom that reverberates through its wetland habitat - the call of the wild.


💬 Guess Away! Let’s See Who Gets It First! ⬇️
Give this puzzle a whirl, can you figure it out?
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🧐 Alright, Brainiacs—Who’s Up for a Challenge? 👀
I know all the secrets, I hear every tale;
I’m where neighbours gather, no detail is stale;
I’m not alive, but I bring news to light—
in the morning, at noon, or late at night—
What am I?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Are domestic flights with Air NZ out of your budget?
A Tauranga man has filed a complaint with the Commerce Commission, claiming that due to dynamic pricing, it’s cheaper for him to fly to Los Angeles than to book a flight for his daughter from Tauranga to Wellington.
Do you think their pricing needs addressed to encourage more people to fly?

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94.8% Yes, it's too expensive
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4.6% No, it's reasonable
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0.5% Other - I'll share below