The unsuspecting world was introduced to the wētā, after a photo from an Air NZ flight went viral. ^SS — Air New Zealand✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) February 21, 2021The internet was immediately beset with a flurry of excitement over the stowaway insect. O'Connor commented on the mid-air encounter, saying: "It honestly felt like NZ's equivalent to snakes on a plane." The DOC describes Wētā as national "icons for invertebrate conservation" with many of the species under threat. Air New Zealand has worked with the DOC to deliver 4000 animals of different species to relocate them at conservation projects.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 24, 2021 04:28 UTC