Mouse-Weight Giant Insect Makes a Comeback in New Zealand

The wētāpunga, a giant insect that can weigh as much as a mouse, is beginning to recover in New Zealand after decades of decline and its disappearance from the mainland.

Described as the world’s heaviest insect, it has benefited from a breeding and reintroduction programme that has released around 11,000 insects into the wild.

The effort combines raising the insects in captivity with returning them to natural habitats, helping rebuild a population that had suffered a prolonged retreat.

The recovery marks an encouraging turn for the wētāpunga, though the releases represent a step towards restoring its numbers rather than an end to the conservation effort.