Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Westland Tai Poutini National Park

Westland Tai Poutini National Park is truly a gem located on the western coast of New Zealand's South Island. The park was established in 1960 to commemorate the centenary of European settlement in the Westland District. It covers 1,320 square kilometers of mostly mountainous and forested terrain. The park offers an incredible variety of landscapes, from lush forests to stunning glaciers. It borders the Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park along the Main Divide of the Southern Alps, and comprises many of the West Coast's glaciers, most remarkably with the Fox / Te Moeka o Tuawe and Franz Josef / Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere glaciers. The small tourist towns of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef / Waiau are the key settlements inside the park, while leftovers of old gold mining towns can be found along the shoreline, adding a fascinating historical dimension to the park's beauty. The park also offers hunting chances for Red Deer, chamois and tahr. For nature enthusiasts, the park boasts the popular Copland Track, which runs upstream from the Karangarua River bridge. The coastal wetlands within the park provide exceptional environment for wading bird species, making it a haven for birdwatchers. Lake Māpōurika is habitat for the endangered Kāmana / Pūteketeke, while the lagoon of Ōkārito is known for the occurrence of Kōtuku. Additionally, the mischievous and intelligent kea can be spotted throughout the park. One of the most fascinating aspects of the park is the presence of the only population of Okarito Kiwi, which reside in the lowland forests of the park. This makes the park an important conservation area, contributing to the preservation of New Zealand's unique wildlife.