An animal which no other creatures eat, meaning it is at the top of the food chain/web.

A type of shark which is also called the copper shark or narrowtooth shark and is found in warmer waters.

A large, slender baleen whale that lives in the warm seas of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. It is dark grey above and white below and has three ridges that run from the snout to the blowholes.

The management and protection of resources and life on Earth.

Crayfish, or kōura in Māori, are also called Spiny Rock Lobster. They are a creature with long antennae, no claws, and a hard 'exoskeleton' or shell which they need to cast off in order to grow bigger. In some areas it is customary for Māori to make sure that the kōura has all of it's limbs when taken. Why? If a kōura loses a leg or antenna when it is taken, other kōura might see that as a reason to leave the area!

When a creature is endangered there is a chance that it will become extinct - this means that there will be no more of these creatures alive on earth if we are not careful. Some animals are in more danger than others. To keep track of this risk, scientists have use different labels for different creatures. These are: 1. critically endangered - creature has an extremely high risk of becoming extinct 2. Endangered - creature is likely to become extinct 3) vulnerable - creature is likely to become endangered if nothing changes.

A group of animals that includes crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. Crustaceans have an 'exoskeleton' which is a hard shell on the outside of their bodies. In order to grow they 'moult' or crawl out of their old shell and grow a new one.

A group of plants, animals and other living things that live in the same place and help each other to survive.

An endangered species is a type of animal that is seriously at risk of dying out.

Found only in one particular country. Species that are endemic to New Zealand are only found in New Zealand.

An ocean area that is looked after by a particular country.

A food chain shows how each living thing gets food and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature. Food chains start with plant life and end with animal life.

A habitat is the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally lives. A habitat provides food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young. For example a coral reef or a sandy beach.

Tangata whenua (people of the land) who have been given responsibility to protect and look after an area’s resources. They act to look after ecosystems by looking at them as a whole, and recognize that all things are interconnected.

A large, brown, seaweed that lives in cold water and provides a habitat for many other sea creatures.

Kina, or sea urchins, are a small sea creature the lives in shallow water. They have a round shell which is covered in sharp needle-like spines. Kina are eaten by crayfish, as well as humans, and they like to eat seaweed or kelp.

When large numbers of kina eat all the kelp in an area of the ocean.

A type of marine protected area (MPA) – a part of the ocean where we've set limits (rules) around what humans can do there. Often there are some places set aside for fishing and other areas where fishing is not allowed at all. This is to protect the creatures and plants that live in that part of the ocean. The largest marine park in the world is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia.

An area that is legally protected from activities that remove plants/animals or alter their habitat, unless it is being done for scientific purposes. Swimming, boating, and scuba diving are usually allowed in marine reserves, but not activities such as fishing, dredging, or mining.

An animal (E.g. a shark, dolphin, or human) that naturally hunts and eats other animals.

When a creature is protected by law you are not allowed to collect or hunt it.

Sea urchins (aslo known as sea eggs) are an animal that lives on the sea floor that looks just liked a rolled up hedgehog! They have 5 sections to their bodies, and are closely related to starfish. Kina are a type of sea urchin that live in New Zealand.

Large algae that grow in the sea or on rocks on the sea shore. Seaweed can be red, brown, or green, and you will often find it washed up on the sea shore.

Spiny Rock Lobster, or kōura in Māori, are also called Crayfish. They are a creature with long antennae, no claws, and a hard 'exoskeleton' or shell which they need to cast off in order to grow bigger. In some areas it is customary for Māori to make sure that the kōura has all of it's limbs when taken. Why? If a kōura loses a leg or antenna when it is taken, other kōura might see that as a reason to leave the area.

Describes a group of rays that have one or more sharp, barbed spines near the base of their tail which they use to sting. Rays have a flat, diamond-shaped body and feed on the bottom of the ocean floor.

To do something in a way that does not damage the health of a species or ecosystem.

Any species (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) that there are very few of, and which might die out in the near future.