Tiritiri Matangi Island

06/10/2026

A master of camouflage — and of making a quick getaway.
The beautifully mottled skin of this Duvaucel’s gecko helps it disappear among the leaf litter and forest floor. But camouflage is not its only defence. If seized by a predator, it can shed its tail through a remarkable process called caudal autotomy. Rather than separating between vertebrae, a specialised fracture plane within a vertebra allows a vertebra itself to split, releasing the tail while minimising damage to the remaining stump.
The sacrificed tail contains valuable fat reserves, so once danger has passed, the gecko may return to eat it once danger has passed.
Like all geckos, it periodically sheds its outer layer of skin as it grows, replacing the old epidermis with a new one and removing ectoparasites in the process. The discarded skin is sometimes eaten, recycling some of the nutrients it contains.
Camouflage, self-amputation and recycling, the evolutionary survival toolkit for a forest dwelling reptile.
You can book your ferry ticket and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
Photo Credit: Jonathan Mower

04/10/2026

The golden sign-post …
Near the top of Wattle Track, a number of small shrubs are covered in masses of golden flowers, a beautiful seasonal tohu* that Spring has arrived and the island’s kūmarahou are flowering.
Kūmarahou (Pomaderris kumeraho) has also been known as gum diggers’ soap. Gum diggers would crush the leaves and flowers to make a natural lather, thanks to their containing saponins, natural soap-like compounds.
You can book your ferry ticket to Tiritiri Matangi and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
Photo credits: Eva Cadario .camera
*sign/mark/signal

01/10/2026

Take one of the less trodden paths.
Most visitors come to Tiritiri Matangi for its thriving native forest, the chorus of birdsong and the historic lighthouse.
The island’s three main walking tracks, along which we offer guided walks, reveal its forests, sandy beaches and shrubby grasslands. But if you have time to wander a little further, there are other places to discover, quiet places where you can sit for a while, listen to the birds and simply enjoy the peace of the island.
One such place is Bunkhouse Dam. Follow the downhill path from the signal mast towards Rangitoto Island, and you’ll find a small side path that wanders to the right, down to one of the island’s reservoirs.
Here, the pace seems to slow. The water reflects the surrounding forest, birdsong carries through the vegetation, and there is time to pause and take in the wairua* of Tiritiri Matangi. There you might find the resident pair of pāteke sunning themselves or titipounamu flitting amongst overhanging vegetation. If you are very lucky, you might spot one of the resident mātātā!
Places like this are a reminder that Tiritiri Matangi isn’t just a sanctuary for wildlife; it’s also a place to find seclusion, stillness and quiet spaces.
Where’s your favourite spot on the island to stop, listen and take in the view?
You can book your ferry ticket and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
*mood, feeling, nature, essence, atmosphere.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Mower

28/09/2026

A master of camouflage
Hidden beneath a piece of old marker ribbon, a cabbage tree moth (Epiphryne verriculata) reveals just how effective camouflage can be.
Look closely at its wings and you can see how their fine, irregular stripes resemble the veins and stripes of a dried tī kōuka/ cabbage tree leaf. Even the ragged edges of the wings help break up its outline.
When these moths rest among cabbage tree leaves, they are known to position themselves so that the stripes on their wings align with the stripes of the vegetation, making them remarkably difficult to spot.
Those beautifully feathered antennae show that this is a male cabbage tree moth for the antennae of males are intricately feathered, while those of females are much simpler and thread-like.
Cabbage tree moths are endemic to Aotearoa, and their caterpillars feed on the leaves of tī kōuka (Cordyline australis). Their remarkable camouflage is just one example of the adaptations that allow these small moths to live among the foliage.
Discoveries like this are a reminder to look beyond the island’s more conspicuous wildlife. Among the regenerating forests and flourishing tī kōuka are countless smaller creatures that have also benefited from Tiritiri Matangi’s transformation from farmland back to native habitat.
Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu - Although it is small, it is precious.

You can book your ferry ticket to Tiritiri Matangi and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust Department of Conservation - Auckland
Photo credit: Jonathan Mower

27/09/2026

Good morning, world …
Mōrena • Good morning • Mālō e lelei • Manuia le taeao • Guten Morgen • 早上好 • G’day …
Whether you’re a takahē calling from Tiritiri Matangi or an Aussie throwing a “G’day”, saying good morning to the world is a great way to start the day.
Kia pai o koutou wiki! | Have a great week everyone!
You can book your ferry ticket to Tiritiri Matangi and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
Takahē Recovery Department of Conservation - Auckland Tiritiri Matangi Island

25/09/2026

Happy Friday ... 🌿🙂
Start your weekend on a happy note with the song "The Brightest in the Land" by Auckland indie-folk band HOOP.
The song weaves a visual story of a visit to Tiritiri Matangi with a song about the island's lighthouse.
Together they bring a little sunshine to your day with a gentle reminder we all need to get out and visit the bright, wild places we love.
Happy weekend from Tiritiri Matangi! 🌿🐧

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesThe Brightest in th...

20/09/2026

The winner of 2026 Bird of the Year has been anounced and it is .....
Karure/ black robin (Petroica traversi)
Black robins are closely related to New Zealand’s other Petroica species (tomtit, and North Island and South Island robins). All are descended from Australian Petroica ancestors.*
*NZ Birdsonline

19/09/2026

A forest wearing its crown.
While visitors to Tiritiri Matangi are witnessing the golden bounty of the island’s kōwhai flowering, at the northern end of the island another flowering event is unfolding. Puawānanga (Clematis paniculata) is beginning to flower, its white blooms appearing to crown the forest canopy, spilling over trackside shrubs and, in places, trailing across the ground-cover vegetation.
Aotearoa New Zealand is home to nine endemic species of Clematis, and unusually, all are dioecious, male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Most Clematis species elsewhere in the world have bisexual flowers, with both male and female reproductive structures within the same flower.
Spot the difference!
Male plants can be differentiated from females by observing their flowers. Those of male vines have significantly longer petals and a dense cluster of numerous pollen-bearing stamens at their centre. In contrast, female flowers have shorter petals and fewer stamens, which are sterile and lack pollen-bearing anthers.
Regardless of their gender, the flowering of puawānanga is a spectacular event on Tiritiri Matangi's floral calendar that is well worth the effort to seek out.
You can book your ferry ticket to Tiritiri Matangi and perhaps a guided walk here:
https://www.exploregroup.co.nz/.../tiritiri-matangi-island/
Photo credits: Jonathan Mower

17/09/2026

BIG, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL 💙

Show your love for these magnificent orbs by giving your vote to takahē today. How these stunners have never won Bird of the Year before is absolutely baffling 🤯

📸 Cheers to for this stunning photo!

Forest & Bird