Saving the "god of ugly things": New Zealand battles to bring back its rodent-sized insects

...weta, which means "god of ugly things" in the language of the indigenous Maori, likely played key roles in New Zealand's original ecosystem. The mahogany-colored, fist-sized Mahoenui giant weta, for example, spends its nights foraging on leaves and hides from predators during the day, much like a mouse. More here.