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This week's critter is one of nature's weirdest creatures. The tongue louse (Cymothoidae species) makes its forever home inside the mouth of a hapless host fish, cutting off the tongue and replacing… Audio

This week's critter is the Minute grasshopper, one of the smallest, cutest and rarest of our endemic grasshoppers. It's a lumbering grasshopper that's great at camouflage and enjoys relaxing in the… Audio

This week's critter is the Hairworm, also referred to by Nic Toki as the real-life Alien movie creatures! Audio

Slaters, or woodlice, are part of the isopod family. They're a type of crustacean - like crabs and crayfish - but they moved from the oceans onto the land millions of years ago. There are probably… Audio

This week's critter is the Hoodwinker Sunfish, a large fish found in the southern waters around New Zealand and South America. They can grow up to 3 metres in length and weigh up to 2 tones. Audio

Nicola Toki has a new job as the Chief Executive Kaiwhakahaere Matua of Forest and Bird. But she hasn't forgotten her most important job - COTW! This week: A chunky skink (or 'robust' in reptile… Audio

This week's critter is a taonga species on the brink of extinction. The broad-cheeked gecko, Mokoprirakau "Okarito", lives in lush forests and alpine shrublands in South Westland.  Audio, Gallery

The spider, Dolomedes dondalei, comes out at night to go fishing along shady waterways throughout the country. It can literally walk on water and uses its velvety forelegs to fish up its dinner. Audio

This week’s critter is a long skinny fish that looks like a ribbon of seaweed. It’s a weak swimmer and hangs out in seaweed meadows around the east coast of Aotearoa. Audio

All of the profits from our Critter of the Week t-shirt sales go to our environmental heroes doing volunteer work to help our native flora and fauna. Today Jesse calls the latest recipients of the… Audio

This week's critter is the critically endangered carnivorous snail Rhytida occonori that lives in just two locations in the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park. Audio

This DOC threatened species ambassador Nic Toki wants people to be able to enjoy and appreciate the nature - but maybe not love it too much. This week's critter is one that people might also want to… Audio, Gallery

Salps are gender-fluid, translucent jelly-beans which band together to form long chains, travelling the oceans in a gelatinous tunic! The world's largest salp is called the Twin-sailed Salp and was… Audio

This week's critter is the mysterious Takitimu gecko that lives in the scree slopes and subalpine forests of Southland's mountains. Audio, Gallery

This week’s critter is the Chatham Islands’ stag beetle. There are only two species of stag beetle surviving on the Chathams and both are endangered, living in fragmented habitats and vulnerable to… Audio

This week's critter is the Tailed Forest Spider. Also called scorpion-tailed spiders or drag-tailed spiders, the female Tailed Forest Spider, Arachnura feredayi, has a long body that looks like an… Audio

The rare Freshwater Bristle Worm, Namanereis tiritae, is proof that the world of worms is weird and wondrously diverse. Audio

The Tea-tree Fingers fungus is native to New Zealand and Australia and critically endangered in both countries. Audio

Ngaokeoke, or walking worms are literally older than the hills. Today's critter is a velveteen national treasure with bizarre hunting behaviour-the Murihiku Walking Worm is the tiniest of our… Audio

Jellyfish are thought to be the oldest multicellular animals on the planet! They swarm our coasts in summer and are an important part of a healthy marine ecosystem. This week's critter is the tiny but… Audio, Gallery

The redfin bully is the jewel of New Zealand's freshwater fish species with distinctive red patterning on its fins and tail.  Audio

They might be a pest in the vege garden, but aphids are fascinating critters. They poop sugar, give birth like Matryoshka dolls, and fight off their enemies like powerful kickboxers. Audio