KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of national parks

Learn the wildlife of Tongariro National Park

New Zealand

1,460 species have research-grade observations inside Tongariro National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. New Zealand Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae117
  2. Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs64
  3. North Island Robin Petroica longipes58
  4. Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos57
  5. Tomtit Petroica macrocephala55
  6. Rifleman Acanthisitta chloris40
  7. Grey Gerygone Gerygone igata37
  8. Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus35
  9. Dunnock Prunella modularis32
  10. New Zealand Pigeon Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae28

Plants

  1. Cotton daisy Celmisia spectabilis586
  2. Umbrella fern Sticherus cunninghamii528
  3. Dracophyllum recurvum485
  4. Common heather Calluna vulgaris437
  5. Brachyglottis bidwillii390
  6. Common New Zealand Gentian Gentianella bellidifolia390
  7. Volcanic Plateau raoulia Raoulia albosericea361
  8. Olearia nummulariifolia347
  9. Hooker's Speedwell Veronica hookeriana329
  10. Mountain toatoa Phyllocladus alpinus318

Mammals

  1. Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula21
  2. European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus10
  3. Brown Hare Lepus europaeus8
  4. Eurasian Stoat Mustela erminea5

Insects

  1. Sigaus piliferus186
  2. New Zealand Grasshopper Phaulacridium marginale84
  3. North Island Boulder Copper Lycaena boldenarum69
  4. Priocnemis monachus42
  5. Maui's copper Lycaena edna39
  6. Forest Semilooper Declana floccosa33
  7. New Zealand Common Tiger Beetle Neocicindela tuberculata31
  8. Astelia zig-zag moth Charixena iridoxa30
  9. Carové's Giant Dragonfly Uropetala carovei28
  10. Physetica sequens26

Spiders and kin

  1. Knobbled Orbweaver Socca pustulosa22
  2. Novaranea queribunda19
  3. New Zealand Nursery Web Spider Dolomedes minor16
  4. Colaranea brunnea7
  5. Colaranea verutum7
  6. Pantopsalis cheliferoides6
  7. Tailed Forest Spider Argiope protensa5
  8. Diamond Comb-footed Spider Cryptachaea veruculata5

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Parks outside the U.S. are from the World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, Protected Planet). KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service or any park's managers. Free, with no ads, no account, and no purchases.