A Giant Insect on the Brink of Extinction Is Making an Extraordinary Comeback

Captive breeding has helped New Zealand's largest giant wētā, the wētāpunga, make an extraordinary comeback. At least four generations have now been born in the wild on two islands, after the species was once on the brink of extinction. Early European settlers' land clearance and introduced pests led to the wētāpunga's decline, but conservation efforts have successfully re-established wild populations.