Say Goodbye to This Massive ‘Hobbit’-Themed Sculpture of Gandalf Riding an Eagle
For more than a decade, the eye-catching artwork had hung from the ceiling of Wellington International Airport in New Zealand, where “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed
Humans Have Seen Only 0.001 Percent of the World’s Deep Seas, Leaving Most of the Planet a Vast Mystery
Researchers argue that expanding deep-sea exploration is vital to understanding and managing these marine habitats
Watch an Octopus Hitch a Ride on a Shark—an Unusual Duo Dubbed the ‘Sharktopus’
Researchers in New Zealand captured the odd pairing on video, but they still don’t know how to explain the behavior
Voters Crown the ‘World’s Ugliest Animal’ as New Zealand’s Fish of the Year
The blobfish is specially adapted to life in the deep ocean, but it looks like a shapeless blob when brought to the surface. It beat out the other candidates with its “unconventional beauty”
A Fisherman and His Son Noticed Strange Pieces of Wood on a Beach. They Turned Out to Be Fragments of a Polynesian Canoe
The boat, known as a waka, was unearthed in the Chatham Islands. Researchers say it could be one of the most significant discoveries of its kind
Fossilized Poop Reveals How Extinct, Flightless Birds Helped Spread New Zealand’s Colorful Fungi
The upland moa was likely drawn to the fungi because of their resemblance to berries, scientists say, allowing the creature to fill a role typically played by mammals
See 25 Incredible Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest
Cast your vote for your favorite of the photographs, which are all contenders for the People’s Choice award, through January 29
Scientists Just Dissected the World’s Rarest Whale in New Zealand. Here’s What They Found
Only seven spade-toothed whales have ever been identified, and the species has never been seen alive. After one washed ashore last summer, researchers have made new discoveries—including that the animal had nine stomach chambers and vestigial teeth
Mysterious, Repetitive ‘Quacking’ Noise in the Southern Ocean May Have Been a Conversation Between Whales
During a 1982 experiment, researchers recorded the unusual sound, termed “bio-duck.” Now, a researcher suggests they may have been listening in on animals talking to each other
How Scientists’ Tender Loving Care Could Save This Endangered Penguin Species
From fish smoothies to oral antibiotics, researchers are taking matters into their own hands in a radical effort to save New Zealand’s yellow-eyed penguins
Halloween Is Spooky. But So Are These Eight Other Celebrations Around the World
From Setsubun in Japan to Fèt Gede in Haiti, these festivals relish in the macabre
An All-Female Crew Sailed 1,000 Miles in a Traditional Voyaging Canoe to Help Save Humpback Whales
The team traveled from New Zealand to Tonga along a humpback highway to collect environmental DNA and raise awareness of the plight of the marine mammals
Rare Yellow-Eyed Penguin Wins New Zealand’s Bird of the Year Contest
The noisy-but-shy bird, known as the hoiho, has earned the most votes for a second time amid threats to its survival
The World’s Rarest Whale May Have Just Washed Ashore in New Zealand
No one has ever recorded a live sighting of the spade-toothed whale, but experts say the dolphin-like creature found earlier this month is “no doubt” a member of the elusive species
Bringing Auckland’s Volcanic Underworld to Light
Scientists are working to map and protect the city’s underground tunnels so they aren’t destroyed during construction
How All-Female ‘Juries of Matrons’ Shaped Legal History
Courts called on these jurors to determine whether women sentenced to death were pregnant or faking it to avoid execution
Tweak the Recipe of This Australian Biscuit, and You Can Get a Hefty Fine or Even Jail Time
On April 25, a national holiday called Anzac Day, Aussies enjoy an Anzac biscuit in honor of military veterans
Fossil Hunter Discovers Gigantic Crab in New Zealand—a New, Extinct Species
The massive creature is 8.8 million years old, and its modern descendants in Australia can grow to be the weight of a human toddler
Inside New Zealand’s Quest to Save Its Rotund, Flightless Parrots
Researchers are slowly restoring the endangered kākāpō using DNA sequencing, GPS tracking and tailored diets
Wild Kiwis Born Near New Zealand’s Capital for the First Time in More Than 150 Years
Conservationists discovered two brown kiwi chicks one year after the birds were reintroduced in a Wellington suburb
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