Story: Conservation – a history

Stolen wētā

Stolen wētā

Unauthorised collecting and export of native plants and animals can be damaging to biodiversity, and can also deplete rare species. In the past, collectors have been partly responsible for the extinction of species. These wētā specimens were seized before leaving the country. They had allegedly been collected for scientific purposes, but any recognised scientific organisation will always seek permission before collecting plants or animals.

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New Zealand Wildlife Enforcement Group (Department of Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand Customs Service)

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How to cite this page:

Simon Nathan, 'Conservation – a history - Changing organisations and ideas, 1985–2010s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13954/stolen-weta (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Simon Nathan, published 24 Sep 2007, updated 1 Aug 2015