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List of mammals of New Zealand facts for kids

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Main page: Mammals of New Zealand

This is a list of the native mammals of New Zealand. It does not include introduced species.

Conservation status

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the IUCN:

EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized population well outside its previous range.
CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT Near threatened The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:

LR/cd Lower risk/conservation dependent Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued.
LR/nt Lower risk/near threatened Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes.
LR/lc Lower risk/least concern Species for which there are no identifiable risks.

Order: Chiroptera (bats)

The most distinguishing feature of bats is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals in the world naturally capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.

Order: Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises)

Southern right whale6
Southern right whale
Balaenoptera brydei
Bryde's whale
6(23) Sperm whale
Sperm whales made Kaikoura as a world-famous whale-watching region
Kogia breviceps
Pygmy sperm whale
Schlankdelfin
Pantropical spotted dolphin
Schwarzdelphine
Dusky dolphins off Kaikoura
Hectors Dolphin near Akaroa
A Hector's dolphin near Akaroa

The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater. New Zealand is the first country in the world to protect marine mammals by law.

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)

Southern elephant seal
Southern elephant seal

Typical carnivorans feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and teeth.

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