Image: Oksana Schmidt / Moment / Getty Images
About This Quiz
The mammals of New Zealand, with the exception of sea animals, have not been around very long. Why? Because nine hundred years ago, this island nation was not accessible to animals who couldn't swim or fly. Animals now native to New Zealand are still new to the landscape, relatively speaking.
So besides the whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions that we know, there weren't any mammals there. When the Polynesians arrived, they brought with them animals like the kiore and dog. When the Europeans got there, more mammals arrived - cats, ferrets, stoats, deer and possums.Â
Today, New Zealand is home to such a wide range of mammals that it can be virtually impossible to name them all, but that's exactly what we want you to do today. We're going to give you a list of animals native to the country and it'll be up to you to match them all to their names. If you can do that, you're an animal expert that even the late Crocodile Hunter himself would be proud of.Â
So show us that you know all these mammals from New Zealand by acing this fun animal quiz!
African elephant
Slow loris
Rabbit
This particular breed of rabbit is known as the 'New Zealand Rabbit.' They reach an average weight of up to 12 pounds.
Lemur
Advertisement
Aye-aye
Tarsier
Mouse
A mouse is known for its large ears, long tail and pointed nose. In 2018, an eradication effort was attempted to preserve native bird species on the Antipodes Islands.
Gibbon
Advertisement
Spider monkey
Goat
Goats are considered relatives of sheep and have over 300 breeds. While sheep are famous for proliferation in New Zealand, there are also many goats to be found there.
Pygmy marmoset
Penguin
Advertisement
Sloth
Blue whale
The largest mammal in existence, the blue whale can weigh almost 200 tons, and its heart is the size of a small room. In spite of this, very little is known about the species.
Rhino
Bandicoot
Advertisement
Lesser bushbaby
Ferret
Ferrets are small mammals that can do a whole lot of damage. Like mice, rats, and other rodents, they're responsible for damaging native bird and reptile populations in island nations including New Zealand.
Echidna
Tapir
Advertisement
Giant anteater
African elephant
Human
Whitetail deer
Also referred to as Virginia Deer, the whitetail deer weighs up to 300 pounds. During the spring and winter, these deer are reddish-brown, while in the fall and winter they appear gray-brown.
Advertisement
Tarsier
Lemur
Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are said to have arrived on the islands in the 1870s. They were brought by European colonists and have now spread across the country, preying on native animals.
Pygmy marmoset
Advertisement
Gibbon
Pig
Pigs have large heads and long snouts which are used to find food. They are believed to have been the first domesticated animals.
Aye-aye
Slow loris
Advertisement
Long-tailed bat
The long-tailed bat, which is also called the New Zealand long-tailed bat, is one of just over a dozen bat species found in New Zealand. These bats generally feast on insects, and can fly nearly 40 miles per hour to find them!
Spider monkey
Platypus
Shrew
Advertisement
Moonrat
Lesser bushbaby
Cow
Cows make up a large part of New Zealand's economy, as milk is among their major exports. Take that, sheep!
Penguin
Advertisement
Bandicoot
Echidna
Sperm whale
Sperm whales are commonly called the cachalot. Although they only give birth every four to 20 years, the female sperm whale cares for their young for a full decade.
Sloth
Advertisement
Tapir
Pygmy marmoset
Rat
Most people aren't too fond of rats, but New Zealand takes their animus to a whole new level. According to the Guardian, the country will be rat-free by 2050 after undergoing a massive rodent extermination.
Giant anteater
Advertisement
Tarsier
Striped dolphin
The striped dolphin is one of the most common, traveling in groups of 25-100 in tropical waters. They can be found all around the world and can thrive for almost 60 years.
Lemur
Orca
Advertisement
Gibbon
Miniroo
Slow loris
Wallaby
Wallabies are closely related to the kangaroo clan. Found across the south pacific, wallabies use their tails for balance and their powerful legs for hopping -- and fighting, sometimes.
Advertisement
New Zealand horse
Aye-aye
African elephant
Mule
A mule is the hybrid young of a female horse and a male donkey. Mules appear in an array of colors, shapes and sizes, weighing up to 1,000 pounds.
Advertisement
Lesser bushbaby
Platypus
Penguin
New Zealand fur seal
Commonly referred to as kekeno, the New Zealand fur seal can be seen on the country's rocky coastlines. These expert swimmers prefer to be left alone and free from human interaction.
Advertisement
Wallaby
Sloth
Weasel
Despite their cute appearance, weasels are deceitful animals. Their extremely quick metabolisms allow them to eat nearly half their body weight daily.
Mole
Advertisement
Red deer
As its name suggests, the red deer is usually reddish-brown, and is closely related to the American elk. Hunting and "commercial culling" have resulted in the population being much smaller today than in the mid-20th century.
Reindeer
Pygmy marmoset
Tapir
Advertisement
Gibbon
Orca
The orca is also called the killer whale and can be easily recognized by its black and white markings. Orcas belong to the dolphin family and are its largest member; however, their population across the world is in decline, especially in the Pacific Northwest. About 50,000 exist in the wild.
Giant anteater
Tarsier
Advertisement
Spider monkey
Hare
Hares closely resemble rabbits but are noted for having longer ears. Despite their lower fat content, they are a source of meat in many cultures.
Meercat
Jackalope
Advertisement
Echidna
Aye-aye
Shrew
Stoat
Another name for the stoat is the short-tailed weasel. As a form of rabbit control, these mammals were introduced to the country of New Zealand in the latter part of the 19th century.
Advertisement
Elephant seal
In fact, only male elephant seals have their distinctive "trunk." They can also weigh 4 tons and span nearly 20 feet!
Lemur
sea lion
Long-nosed rush
Advertisement
Fin whale
The fin whale is considered the world's second-largest species. It is referred to as the finback whale and previously called the herring or razorback whale.
Great white shark
Orca
Platypus
Advertisement
Sheep
It's true what they say: there are more sheep in New Zealand than there are people. In fact, there are about 10 sheep for every person in the country -- upwards of 40 million.
Tapir
Goat
Llama
Advertisement
Hornless walrus
Harp seal
New Zealand sea lion
New Zealand sea lions are declining in population, and they are currently the rarest sea lion. Fishing nets pose the greatest threat to them, which is why the government is working to protect them.
Bandicoot
Advertisement
Tarsier
Red deer
Chamois
This goat-antelope species, the chamois, is abundant throughout much of the world including the European Alps. It is a popular animal to hunt on New Zealand's South Island.
Sloth
Advertisement
Red deer
Elk
Moose
Moose are excellent swimmers and sometimes even travel miles at a time through the water. Despite their size, they are herbivores, preferring lichen and taller shrubs.
Lesser bushbaby
Advertisement
Fallow deer
Although this species of deer originated in Europe, it has been brought to New Zealand and numerous other countries. The fallow deer can live up to 16 years.
Red deer
Moose
Penguin
Advertisement
Gibbon
Brushtail possum
The brushtail possum is a nocturnal mammal and the second largest of the possum family. In the 1850s they were initiated into New Zealand as a means of introducing a fur industry.
Lemur
Shrew
Advertisement
Giant dolphin
Sea whale
Sei whale
Sei whales are an endangered species. Like other marine mammals, they are vulnerable to human behavior in the ocean, and the combination of climate change, hunting, and commercial fishing operations have led to their declining numbers.
Tapir
Advertisement
Major fish
White whale
River dolphin
Hector's dolphin
Hector's dolphin is native to New Zealand and is one of the smallest aquatic mammals. This group was named after Scottish naturalist and geologist Sir James Hector.
Advertisement
Tahr
The Tahr is believed to be a relative of wild goat. This species was established in New Zealand's Southern Alps and has since been hunted for recreational purposes.
Mountain deer
Goat
Sloth
Advertisement
Kiore
The kiore was among the first mammals in New Zealand, and is believed to be responsible for the extinction of some bird species. Today, they are relatively uncommon, and will likely be wiped out by 2050 in order to preserve other vulnerable species.
Slow loris
Tarsier
Penguin
Advertisement
Sambar deer
The sambar deer is found in the North Island, and was originally brought to New Zealand from Sri Lanka, where it originated. There are just 2 main herds in New Zealand, and the species is listed as "vulnerable."
Lesser bushbaby
Aye-aye
Fawn
Advertisement
Penguin
Leopard seal
Leopard seals are one of the more aggressive seals out there, eating everything from penguins to other species' seal pups! You don't want to run into these guys, whose only predators are humans, orcas, and, rarely, elephant seals.
Tiger seal
Seaseal
Advertisement
Blue bat
Grapeseed bat
Fruit bat
Lesser short-tailed bat
Habitat loss and pesky rodents have led to the decline of this little guy, who resides on the North Island. In winter, these bats stay in their roosts, where they go into a state of torpor, leaving again when the weather warms up.
Advertisement
Polydoo
Dingo
NZ fox
Kuri
The Kuri is a Polynesian dog which was lived in New Zealand for hundreds of years before becoming extinct. It is likely that cross-breeding with European dogs resulted in their becoming rare and then non-existent.
Advertisement
Dusky dolphin
The dusky dolphin is an acrobat at sea! They're famous for their streamlined bodies and the incredible way that they flip and twist in the air.
Bottle-nosed dolphin
Aye-aye
Dolphino
Advertisement
Lesser bushbaby
Moose
Wapiti
With a weight of up to 450 kilograms, the wapiti deer is known as the world's largest round-horned deer. With no hunting restrictions, they are hunted year-round in New Zealand.
Z deer
Advertisement
You Got:
/39
.jpg){kind=link}
