Around 100 critically endangered giant wētā have just been released into Taranaki’s predator-free Rotokare Sanctuary - a big win for conservation, and a mild heart attack for anyone who breaks into a sweat at the sight of a spider.

These Mahoenui giant wētā are absolute units - roughly the size of a mouse, and yes, they can climb trees. Don’t think about it too much.

The females weigh in at around 25 grams, and are apparently slow-moving, chilled-out, and surprisingly gentle despite looking like something that could easily have you pack up and move out of your own home if it came to visit. 

They used to roam happily through native forest, but later shacked up in gorse as a kind of spiky, makeshift fortress to avoid predators. Even then, their numbers took a dive over the past decade, so getting them into a safe, fenced sanctuary is a massive step toward keeping the species alive.

This whole release has been years in the making, thanks to the team at Ōtorohanga Kiwi House, the only place in the world running a dedicated breeding programme for these wētā. 

Most of the wee (okay, not 'wee') critters released are close to adulthood and ready to make themselves at home among Rotokare’s forest canopy, leaf litter, and whatever else looks like a good place to chill out and nibble vegetation.

So here’s hoping Rotokare becomes a bustling wētā neighbourhood in no time - just one that I will never go anywhere near. The locals are friendly - just, you know… large.