Weta Hotel

Wellington, July 17th 2015

A small part of that big and beautiful mind is the construction of Weta Hotel. Well, first, weta is an insect. But, what Zealandia is even more proud of is that it's not just weta, but Giant Weta. Status: native, endemic to New Zealand. This giant, according to Zealandia's website:

Were extinct from mainland for over 100 years until 100 were released into Zealandia in 2007. In 2008 a further 86 were transferred.

I cannot call myself a true nature lover, because it's hard for me to imagine that someone would care so much about an insect that has extinct 100 years ago and would go this far an effort. Unbelievable. It's just an insect, you know. And now, building a Weta Hotel?? Insane beauty.

As seen on the photo above, the hotel is built from a tree trunk divided into two. The left part is the static part. The right part is joint with hinges, just like a door.

A vertical tunnel is drilled through the left part of the tree trunk for Giant Weta's passage. On some parts, the tunnel is chopped out, making it exposed. That's the 4 square glasses you see in this photo. Hence, we can see Giant Weta in its "natural habitat". In the room on the "1st floor", there's an invader. My guide joked, "He hasn't paid the rent yet."

Since wetas are basically nocturnal, the tree trunk is shut most of the time, only opened when visitors come. To be noted, that's just my assumption. Anyway, both my tour guides (Walk Talk Tour and Night Tour) shut the trunk back closed after finish explaining to us.