It’s been a big year for nature! We take a look back and count down some of the biggest naturing stories from 2025…
10: New bridges to get into nature 🌿
A number of stunning bridge projects have been completed this year, making it even easier for people to head out naturing and connecting with our special places.
A stunning new 68-metre cycle bridge along the St James Cycle Trail loop replaced the old McArthur Bridge.
A new 42-metre suspension bridge across the Routeburn River has reconnected the popular Lake Sylvan Track after the previous bridge was damaged in a significant storm in 2020.
Fantastic new bridges at Blue Pools near Wanaka also reopened in May after being closed for safety last year.
Why not plan your next trip out into nature?
2: The Royal Cam chick gets a name 🪽
In September, our Royal Cam chick was gifted a name – Kaewa, which means to adventure, travel or roam.
The name was formally gifted by Te Poari a Pukekura, a joint trust who manage Pukekura / Taiaroa Head.
The name was very appropriate as the chick fledged and headed off on her massive round-the-world journey to the coast of South America, where she will live for a few years, before returning home to Pukekura/Taiaroa Head to breed.
Tune in to this season’s Royal Cam.
3: Pukunui breeding season on Rakiura 🥚
Underbirds are go! 
In November, the first chicks of the pukunui/Southern New Zealand dotterel breeding season hatched on the Rakiura/Stewart Island mountain tops.
Nest surveying found five chicks and 51 eggs across 16 nests. As it’s estimated there are only 105 pukunui left, this was a fantastic result.
With feral cats heavily reduced in recent predator control efforts, there’s new hope we can save pukunui from extinction and see them thrive again.
Learn more about the chicks bringing hope for survival.
4: World’s oldest geckos found 🦎
In March, two geckos surveyed on a predator free island off the North Canterbury coast were found to be the oldest in the world at around 60 and 64 years.
The two Waitaha geckos were first discovered and marked in 1967 and 1969 by late Herpetologist Tony Whitaker. His detailed record-keeping allowed us to accurately date their ages.
The age record for the Waitaha gecko was previously 53 years with a gecko found on the same island in 2015.
It’s just amazing they’ve existed on this teeny, tiny island since before the moon landing.
Read more about the world’s oldest geckos.
5: Feral cats added to Predator Free 2050 🐈
In June, the Predator Free Strategy received close to 3,400 submissions. Over 90 percent backed improved feral cat management.
Feral cats are found across New Zealand, from farms to forests, and they put huge pressure on native birds, bats, lizards and insects.
The addition of feral cats to the Predator Free 2050 target list will support national coordination of feral cat control and allow greater access to funding for projects targeting feral cats.
Learn more about the impact of feral cats on wildlife.
6: New hunting permits online
This year a majority of our hunting permits have gone digital!
Hunters can use our online platform to book or obtain permits for hunting on 93% of Public Conservation Land — that’s about 7.8 million hectares! And the improvements aren’t stopping there: in 2026, South Island hunting ballots will also be integrated into the system.
We’re removing unnecessary barriers and restrictions to make hunting easier for everyone. This year we saw on average 2,500 hunters per month jumping online and grabbing an open hunting permit.
Grab your online hunting permit.
7: Success for our endangered tara iti/fairy terns
Eight tara iti/fairy tern chicks were successfully hand-raised in partnership with Auckland Zoo in February this year, with 11 chicks fledging in the wild.
This is promising progress for tara iti, one of New Zealand’s most endangered birds, but with fewer than 40 adult individuals remaining, every nest, egg and chick is critical to the species’ survival.
So far this breeding season, 19 eggs have been laid. While predation and recent storms have taken a toll, we’re cautiously optimistic, with three chicks hatched so far and more opportunities ahead as the season continues.
Find out more about one of our most endangered birds.
3: Tongariro National Park fires
In November and December, two fires ripped through more than 3000-hectares of Tongariro National Park, impacting wildlife and closing tracks and facilities.
A mammoth effort by Fire and Emergency, DOC and forestry firefighters saw the fires come under control but leaving behind a blackened landscape in place of a thriving alpine ecosystem.
Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro have placed a restorative rāhui set to last 10 years, over the fire ground itself. This rāhui is not about keeping people out. It’s about restoration and the spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing of Tongariro.
Help restore Tongariro National Park by donating through the NZ Nature Fund.
2: Kiwi pukupuku rediscovered on the mainland
In July, the rediscovery of kiwi pukupuku in the wild on mainland Aotearoa for the first time in 50 years, shocked and delighted both conservationists and mana whenua Ngāti Māhaki.
At the time, only one kiwi pukupuku was confirmed in the remote Westland wilderness area, but in December we were able to confirm a small breeding population of the birds is present. Nine birds have been located to date.
There’s a lot to learn from such a newly rediscovered population, but our hope for the future is to see these manu thriving once again on the mainland.
Learn more about kiwi pukupuku/little spotted kiwi.
1: Always Be Naturing launches
In September, New Zealanders woke up to a new population overnight – from 5 million to 695 billion.
The new population count was a playful, back-of-the-envelope estimate aimed at reframing the way people see nature. It was part of our new campaign inviting New Zealanders to ‘Always Be Naturing’.
There are just 238 kākāpō left, fewer than 40 tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) and 4000 native species that are threatened or at risk of extinction. 63% of our ecosystems are on the brink of collapse. These are the numbers we want everyone to be aware of.
We know when we take action, it makes a tangible difference – nature is resilient and can bounce back. This is why we are encouraging people to view nature differently, get out and get amongst it, and take action.
Always Be Naturing and take action today!
The story of Kaewa is so heartwarming! It’s amazing how technology like Royal Cam allows us to follow such a unique journey from a chick’s first steps to her adventure across the globe. Nature is truly full of surprises!
I suppose the addition of feral cats to the PF2050 target species list was a ‘big story’, but it was done expressly against the advice of DOC. A populist knee-jerk reaction to a journalist following up on a throwaway comment made by the PM on the election campaign trail. No need for it – feral cats have been ‘controlled’ for ages. The 90% of submissions received ‘in favour’ are simply a classic example of the enormous self-selection bias which happens with this type of consultation, and the result certainy doesn’t line up with the fact that only 40% of the population have even heard of Predator-Free. The big danger in it is that the PF community doesn’t seem able to differentiate between feral cats on the one hand and companion or community (stray) cats on the other, and don’t much care, (despite the big differences in terms of potential for ecological impact). So the risk to these other cats has been increased, as PF enthusiasts feel emboldened and validated in killing any cat. The potential for causing grief and social discord is huge, and DOC needs to be addressing this strongly. DOC also needs to be working on getting funding and facilitation happening for companion and community cat desexing – it is just ridiculous that successive administrations which purport to be concerned about cat predation of taonga species, expects the most effective preventer of recruitment into the feral cat population to be exclusively privately funded, despite the huge and prohibitive increase in the cost of de-sex procedures in recent years.