Ellen Rykers

Caves created by rivers of lava underlie New Zealand’s biggest city. A new research project is documenting Auckland's lava caves, hoping to protect this hidden geological heritage and understand what… Audio

Is it a crab? Is it a spider? It's a crab spider! The common square-ended crab spider (Sidymella angularis) to be precise.  Audio

It has been weeks of twists and turns for the Bird of the Century campaign.

With international attention, a record number of votes, and a delay in announcing the winner as votes were tallied.

… Audio

Every year, tens to hundreds of seabirds fall out of the sky across Auckland city. Disoriented by the bright lights, Cook's petrels crash-land and collide with buildings – but a dedicated group of… Video, Audio

Every autumn, tens to hundreds of young Cook's petrels crash-land across Auckland city, disoriented by the bright city lights. Assistant producer Ellen Rykers joins a volunteer Petrel Patrol searching… Audio

At the Mercy of the Ice by Ellen Rykers: a story of dramatic survival on the Antarctic ice in the summer of 1972. Audio

This week's critter is the bluegill bully (Gobiomorphus hubbsi) - a beautiful native fish that gets its name from the bright blue bands on its gill cover. Bluegill bullies are a threatened species… Audio

Sunfish are the world's largest bony fish species – and yet scientists know little about their lives. This week, Our Changing World meets a sunfish researcher unravelling mola mysteries and dives into… Audio

Sunfish are weird. They don't have a tail, they can grow massive (up to 2.7 tonnes), and we don't know much about their lives. This week, Our Changing World meets a scientist unravelling a mola… Audio

The pīwauwau/rock wren has been named bird of the year.

Nearly 52,000 people voted in the competition.

Spokesperson Ellen Rykers told Morning Report the kororā/little penguin actually got the most… Audio

There is some major controversy in one of the country's biggest elections.

Bird of the Year is back next week but in a contentious decision, the two-time champion kākāpō has been barred from the… Audio

It's fair to say some feathers were ruffled last year when the Pekapeka tou-roa - or Long-Tailed Bat - was crowned Bird of the Year.

Well, it will be a fleeting reign.

Forest and Bird has announced… Audio

The eruption of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai in January triggered a tsunami of unprecedented proportions, impacting the entire Pacific. How did this volcanic eruption lead to a tsunami detected across… Video, Audio

Science communicator Ellen Rykers speaks to scientists about the unprecedented tsunami triggered by the eruption of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai in January. Audio