Lizards and Kiwis:

I realised after I made the lizard and Kiwi that I should know their significance so I don't offend anyone. So here is a very quick, basic look:

Lizards:

South African:

Are animals we see everyday in our houses and around our gardens. Cool to look at but nothing special. I think they were used as a South African beaded souvenir because they are colourful and have an interesting shape. A lot of tourists are amazed at how many there are around so that might contribute to it. They can also be used functionally, the tail can be shaped as a hook (we have one for keys).

Maori:

"Lizards were often released as guardians of the forest’s mauri (life force). Mauri represented the health or vitality of the forest. It was protected by a physical object, usually a stone which was also known as a mauri."

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11998/carved-lizards

Kiwi:

South Africa:

I honestly didn't have any knowledge of this bird while I lived there because the bird life in South Africa is amazing and has a lot more species to admire. The closest we have is an ostrich which is way bigger but is also flightless.

Maori:

" The flightless, nocturnal kiwi is an oddity, and perhaps an unlikely choice for a national symbol. But the round body, long beak and short legs invite curiosity and affection – and it’s an easy bird to draw. It appears everywhere, on coins, stamps, shoe polish, T-shirts and websites. "

" Once there were about 12 million kiwi, but because predators eat so many chicks, there are now fewer than 100,000. The Department of Conservation and many community conservation groups are helping to build up kiwi numbers. They take eggs from the wild and release the chicks in predator-free zones such as an island or fenced sanctuary. When they are big enough, they are returned to the wild. "

" Māori always thought kiwi were special. They called them the hidden bird of Tāne, the god of the forest, and they still treasure cloaks made with kiwi feathers. "

" Māori always regarded the kiwi as a special bird. They knew it as ‘te manu huna a Tāne’, the hidden bird of Tāne, god of the forest. Kiwi feather cloaks (kahu kiwi), originally made by sewing kiwi skins together, were taonga (treasures) usually reserved for chiefs. Kiwi feathers, now woven into flax cloaks, are still valued. Māori also ate kiwi, preserving them in the birds’ fat, and steaming them in a hāngī (earth oven). "

" In the 20th century the kiwi began to represent the nation. "

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kiwi

But I have noticed that is is a selling point to Tourists which is why I used it, I don't think it will be offensive because the kiwi imagery is reproduced in mass on postcards and items.