wimpy

Why are there no poisonous species in NZ when its hardly a million miles from Oz. Have any ever been found

happynz

No snakes and until humans showed up with dogs, pigs and rats the only mammal species here were bats.

Oh yeah, the tuatara is a totally awesome lizard. It isn't poisonous but it is an impressive reptile.

Maz

There are zero snakes, but there are spiders. Nowhere near as bad as in Oz.

And I love bats. Nearly got my bat-handlers' licence in England.

wimpy

How common are they, I love reptiles and would love to go searching for them

happynz

Unfortunately tuataras are not that common. You may see one at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellington.

Nerine

Which sadly can be said for a lot of NZ wildlife, Kiwis in particular.

We've got some pretty spectular spiders here, though still waiting to see our first adult sized Huntsman and a snake of any description . Early days yet

Charlie Paynter

Sorry Wimpey, but I have got to - the closests points between Oz and NZ is probably equal to London and Moscow! It is a common misconception that the 2 countries are near each other, which is no doubt why it took some 39,000 years longer for the first inhabitants to get to NZ after the first ones arrived in Oz.

wimpy

Sorry to be pedantic but London to Moscow is just over 1500 miles where Auckland to Sydney comes in at just over 1300 and I am pretty sure there is a closer point to point than that

I wasnt expecting spiders to have swum across but they have had plenty of opportunity to hitch a ride

Nice Guy

Hmmmmmmmmmmm............ this is an absolutely true story.

I was due to go to work, I did the usual routine of SSS and prepared myself.

I put on my shoes.

The left one felt a little 'strange' around the toe area.

I did not think anymore about it and drove to work.

Upon arrival I mentioned to the manager that my left boot felt 'odd' and I decided to remove it.

Guess what was in there............................................. ..!!!!!


Yep, you've guessed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A Tissue.








Nah, not really, it was a Huntsman as big as one's palm (apparently a baby by usual standards) and with that it jumped out of the shoe and scurried away under one of the fridges.

I crapped myself.

NG

wimpy

I have heard that cheese does send them into a coma

Charlie Paynter

You are absolutely right re hitching, and from memory (and it has been a while since I lived in NZ), non-native species like spiders, have been found, albeit dead. I would say that the biggest threat to any new species coming over from Oz would be the climate (ie colder in NZ). However, the point I was making is that NZ is very much isolated from the rest of the world, and hence it has had thousands of years to form its own unique eco-system. In fact I only learn't the other day (80 Gardens from Around the World), that even grass was an import to NZ!

Andrew Cross

We have this little fellow and I have the scar to prove that they do bite and it bloody hurts...its a Whitetail Spider.

Nerine

We used to get a fair number of those in our house in NZ & my daughter's classmate got bitten on the leg by one at school.

RobClubley

I keep finding them in our spare bed! Two so far - under the covers!
Loads of tunnelwebs in our garden. Less "dangerous" but scarier looking I think!

Nerine

, make any profit on those shares Lardyl?