Giant Weta

Wētāpunga are insects that only live in New Zealand. They were almost extinct (uitgestorven). They only survived on one island. But last week they have been put back on the mainland. The wētāpunga are back!

 

Words

• Te Reo Māori means “the language of Māori”. The Māori are the people who already lived in New Zealand long before the Europeans showed up.
• A sparrow is a small bird that usually has brown or gray feathers.
• Native trees are trees that naturally grow in a particular place or country.
• Pests are animals or insects that are harmful to other living beings or plants.

 

Assignment

1. What does wētāpunga mean in Māori?
   a      Butterfly of Māori.
   b      God of Ugly Things.
   c       Heaviest Insect in the World!
   d      Largest Insect in New Zealand.

 

2. “Wētāpunga are nocturnal.” What does this mean? (Listen carefully from 1:01 and on.)
   a      They are active mainly during the night.
   b      They smell their food before they taste it.
   c       They spend most of their time looking for food.
   d      They use their long antennae to eat.

 

3. Why were there almost no wētāpunga left?
   a      Because Māori and Europeans came to New Zealand.
   b      Because of climate change.
   c       Because rats and other pests came to New Zealand.
   d      Because the government started a breeding programme.