Two Rare Species Go Head to Head in New Zealand (Video)

A ranger spotted two iconic and rare species in New Zealand at the same time, and they were fighting with each other. The first contender in this bizarre battle was a takahē, a flightless bird that only lives on New Zealand’s South Island. There are only about 500 of them in the world. The second contender in the unlikely skirmish was a tuatara, New Zealand’s largest reptile.

Both species are endemic to New Zealand, and this particular meeting occurred on Tiritiri Matangi Island. New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) posted a video of the fight on social media, explaining that this encounter was very rare indeed.

[RELATED: Owl-Parrots, Shouting Penguins, and Creatures with a Third Eye: The Unique Animals of New Zealand]

“Takahē vs tuatara . . . yes, you read that right!” wrote the DOC in an Instagram post sharing the footage. “DOC ranger Nick was in the right place at the right time to catch this rare bush-floor showdown on Tiritiri Matangi Island. [. . .] Hear Nick tell the story and check out the wild footage!”

The fact that someone spotted both of these threatened species in the wild at the same time is great news for conservation efforts in the area. Thankfully, neither animal seriously harmed the other. They went their separate ways after some chasing and a few nips.

Watch two rare species fight in New Zealand:

A ranger spotted two iconic and rare species in New Zealand at the same time, and they were fighting with each other. The first contender in this bizarre battle was a takahē, a flightless bird that only lives on New Zealand’s South Island. There are only about 500 of them in the world. The second contender in the unlikely skirmish was a tuatara, New Zealand’s largest reptile.

Both species are endemic to New Zealand, and this particular meeting occurred on Tiritiri Matangi Island. New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) posted a video of the fight on social media, explaining that this encounter was very rare indeed.

[RELATED: Owl-Parrots, Shouting Penguins, and Creatures with a Third Eye: The Unique Animals of New Zealand]

“Takahē vs tuatara . . . yes, you read that right!” wrote the DOC in an Instagram post sharing the footage. “DOC ranger Nick was in the right place at the right time to catch this rare bush-floor showdown on Tiritiri Matangi Island. [. . .] Hear Nick tell the story and check out the wild footage!”

The fact that someone spotted both of these threatened species in the wild at the same time is great news for conservation efforts in the area. Thankfully, neither animal seriously harmed the other. They went their separate ways after some chasing and a few nips.

Watch two rare species fight in New Zealand: