If the future of te taiao was placed in the hands of rangatahi, what would it look like? That was the question at the heart of Te Ao Rangatahi | The Future Through a Youth Lens, a panel at the first-ever Endangered Species National Hui bringing together three inspiring young leaders already shaping biodiversity restoration, community leadership and youth engagement across Aotearoa.

Riki Parata's (Ngāi Tahu, Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai) mahi with Hokonui Rūnanga is dedicated to learning more about and protecting an ancient taonga that remains poorly understood: kanakana, also known as piharau or lamprey.

Breeding season is underway for tara iti, our most endangered bird, and as population numbers slowly climb, the Department of Conservation (DOC) is assessing where these tiny taonga could nest next.