Aoraki - Mt. Cook National Park
Basic ecotouristic information on Aoraki - Mt. Cook National Park (New Zealand) which can be visited together with Albatros Travel and Expeditions - localization, access, characteristic, fauna and flora, possible activities.
Localization
Central part of New Zealand´s South Island, close to the town of Twizel
Access
Easy
Characteristic
707 km2; Alpine national park containing New Zealand´s highest mountain Aoraki/Mt. Cook (3754 m) and its longest glacier, Tasman Glacier (29 km). Typical ecosystems: mountainous and alpine ecosystems (most of the park area is located above the tree level zone), temperate zone forests (small patches in valleys), big lake of glacial origin. Glaciers cover 40% of the park area. Of New Zealand's 20 peaks over 3,000 metres, all except Mount Aspiring lie in the park.
Fauna + Flora
Mammals:
Even-toed Ungulates - Deers (Cervidae): Red Deer - introduced for hunting
- Cows, Buffaloes (Bovidae): Chamois - introduced for hunting; Himalayan Tahr - introduced for hunting
Birds:
About 40 bird species
Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Great Crested Grebe
Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Great Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant
Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): White-faced Heron
Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Pacific Black Duck; Mallard; New Zealand Scaup; Paradise Shelduck; Australian Shoveler; Grey Teal
Birds of Prey - Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Swamp Harrier
- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): New Zealand Falcon
Charadriiformes - Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black Stilt - one of New Zealand´s rarest birds; Black-winged Stilt
- Plovers (Charadriidae): Masked Lapwing; Double-banded Plover; Wrybill
- Gulls (Laridae): Black-billed Gull; Kelp Gull; Red-billed Gull
- Terns (Sternidae): Black-fronted Tern
Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Kea
Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Southern Boobook
Perching Birds - New Zeanad Wrens (Acanthisittidae): Rifleman; Rock Wren
- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Pacific Swallow
- Butcherbirds and Currawongs (Cracticidae): Australian Magpie
- Accentors (Prunellidae): Hedge Accentor
- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Richard´s Pipit
- Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae): Tui
- White-eyes (Zosteropidae): Grey-breasted Silver-eye
- Fantails (Rhipiduridae): Grey Fantail
- Australian Robins (Petroicidae): New Zealand Tit
- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Yellowhammer (introduced species)
- Finches (Fringillidae): Common Chaffinch (introduced species)
Reptiles:
Lizards and Snakes - Geckoes (Gekkonidae): Jewelled Gecko (Naultinus gemmeus)
Insects:
Dragonflies - Petalurida: Uropetala carovei - large and primitive species
Butterflies and Moths - Brushfoots (Nymphalidae): Erebiola butleri - endemic species; Percnodaimon pluto - endemic species
Plants:
More than 300 vascular plants species
Ferns:
Polypodiales - Polypodiaceae: Dwarf Polypody (Grammitis poeppigiana)
- Dryopteridaceae: Hollyfern (Polystichum vestitum)
Conifers:
Pinales - Podocarpaceae: Phyllocladus alpinus; Totara (Podocarpus totara) and Plum Pine (Podocarpus nivalis)
Dicotyledons:
Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Yellow Water Buttercup (Ranunculus flabellaris) and Buttercups (Ranunculus godleyanus, R. grahamii, R. lyalli - the largest buttercup in the world, R. sericophyllus)
Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Pachycladon enysii
Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Colobanthus buchananii
Santalales - Lorantahaceae: Alepis flavida
Saxifragales - Crassulaceae: Pygmyweed (Crassula multicaulis)
Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Silver Beech (Nothofagus menziesii)
Myrtales - Onagraceae: Willowherbs (Epilobium melanocaulon and E. purpuratum)
Apiales - Apiaceae: Anisotome flexuosa - alpine grasslands; Fierce Spaniard (Aciphylla aurea)
- Cheesewoods (Pittosporaceae): Cheesewood (Pittosporum patulum)
Ericales - Epacridaceae: Dracophyllum uniflorum
Gentianales - Gentianaceae: Snow Gentian (Gentiana nivalis)
Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Forget-me-not (Myosotis suavis)
Lamiales - Scrophulariaceae: Hebe haastii; Ourisia caespitosa; Parahebe lyalli
Asterales - Asteraceae: Celmisia discolor; Leucogenes grandiceps; Ragwort (Senecio dunedinensis); Raoulia youngii; Rastrophyllum sp.; Strawflower (Helichrysum selago)
- Stylidiaceae: Phyllachne clavigera
- Donatiaceae: Donatia novae-zealandiae
Monocotyledons:
Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bluegrasses (Poa colensoi and P. novae-zelandiae) - alpine grasslands; Tufted hair-Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa); Red Tussock (Chionochloa rubra), Snow Tussock (Chionochloa conspicua) and Tussocks (Chionochloa crassiuscula, Ch. flavescens, Ch. pallens and Ch. rigida) - alpine grasslands
- Rushes (Juncaceae): Rush (Juncus novae-zelandiae)
- Cyperaceae: Bogrush (Schoenus pauciflorus)
Possible activities
Excellent conditions for walking and trekking - about ten trekking trails
Mountaineering, skiing, skitouring, hunting, sightseeing flights, paragliding, mountain bikes, kayaking
Note
Landscape of outstanding natural beauty - national park is on the List of Natural Heritage of UNESCO
Pictures - source Wikipedia
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