Kahurangi National Park

Localization

Northwest of the South Island of the New Zealand

Access

Easy

Characteristic

4 520 km²; Mountainous regions with many mountain plateaux. Most of the park is still wilderness. Rocky landscape mostly formed by sedimentary rocks (limestone and marble) - there are many caves and other karst phenomenons in limestone areas (some of worldwide deepest caves). Typical ecosystems: mountain and alpine ecosystems, temperate zone forests, freshwater ecosystems (wild rivers), marine and coastal ecosystems, karst. The vegetation cover changes markedly from one side of the park to the other - it is dry climate in the east and wet in the west of the park. 80% of New Zealand's alpine species can be found in the high reaches of the park.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Bats - True Bats (Vespertilionidae): Long-tailed Wattled Bat

- Mystacinidae:  New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat

Birds:

Struthioniformes - Kiwis (Apteryidae):  Great Spotted Kiwi

Sphenisciformes - Penguins (Spheniscidae): Little Penguin

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae):  Great Cormorant; Pied Cormorant; Little Pied Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): White-faced Heron

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Pacific Black Duck; Blue Duck; Mallard - introduced species; New Zealand Scaup; Paradise Shellduck; Black Swan - introduced species

Birds of Prey - Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Swamp Harrier

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): New Zealand Falcon

Galliformes - Quails (Odontophoridae): California Quail - introduced species

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Purple Gallinule; Weka

Charadriiformes - Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-winged Stilt

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Masked Lapwing; Double-banded Plover

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae):  South Island Oystercatcher; Variable Oystercatcher

- Skuas and Jaegers (Stercorariidae): Arctic Skua

- Gulls (Laridae): Black-billed Gull; Kelp Gull; Red-billed Gull

- Terns (Sternidae): Black-fronted Tern; White-fronted Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae):  New Zealand Pigeon

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae):  Kaka; Kea; Yellow-fronted Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae):  Southern Boobook

Cuculiformes - Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals and Roadrunners (Cuculidae): Shining Bronze-Cuckoo; Long-tailed Koel

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae):Sacred Kingfisher

Perching Birds - New Zeanad Wrens (Acanthisittidae): Rifleman; Rock Wren

- Larks (Alaudidae): Eurasian Skylark - introduced species

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Pacific Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Eurasian Blackbird - introduced species; Song Thrush - introduced species

- Accentors (Prunellidae): Dunnock - introduced species

- Starlings (Sturnidae):  European Starling - introduced species

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae):  Richard's Pipit

- Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae):  New Zealand Bellbird; Tui

- White-eyes (Zosteropidae):  Silver-eye

- Australian Warblers (Acanthizidae): Grey Gerygone

- Whistlers (Pachycephalidae):  New Zealand Creeper

- Fantails (Rhipiduridae):  Grey Fantail

- Australian Robins (Petroicidae): New Zealand Robin; New Zealand Tit

- Old World Warblers (Sylviidae): New Zealand Fernbird

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Yellowhammer - introduced species

- Finches (Fringillidae): Common Chaffinch - introduced species; European Goldfinch - introduced species; European Greenfinch - introduced species; Common Redpoll - introduced species

- Sparrows (Passeridae): House Sparrow - introduced species

Spiders:

The worldwide biggest cave spider - up to 12 cm of legs spread

Moluscs :

20 species of Powelliphanta genus - big land carnivorous snails

Plants:

Ferns:

Ophioglossales - Ophioglossaceae: Common Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria)

Hymenophyllales - Filmy Ferns (Hymenophyllaceae):  Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum burnettii)

Dicotyledons:

Canellales - Winteraceae: Pseudowintera traversii

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Buttercups (Ranunculus mirus and R. ternatifolius); Leather Flowers (Clematis marmoraria and C. quadribracteolata)

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Bittercress (Cardamine sp.); Bog marshcress (Rorippa palustris); Pepperweed (Lepidium flexicaule)

Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae: Colobanthus wallii

- Portulacaeae: Neopaxia sp.

Gunnerales - Gunneraceae: Gunnera prorepens

Santalales - Lorantahaceae: Alepis flavida; Peraxilla colensoi and P. tetrapetala

Malvales - Thymelaeaceae:  Pimelea longifolia and P. sericeovillosa

Saxifragales - Crassulaceae: Pygmyweed (Crassula multicaulis)

Malpighiales - Violaceae: Melicytus burnettii

- Elatinaceae: Waterwort (Elatine gratioloides)

- Euphorbiaceae:  Oreoporanthera alpina; Spurge (Euphorbia glauca)

Myrtales - Onagraceae: Willowherb (Epilobium margaretiae)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Anisotome flexuosa; Gingidia baxterae; Oreomyrrhis minutiflora; Spaniard (Aciphylla anomala)

- Cheesewoods (Pittosporaceae):  Cheesewoods (Pittosporum dallii and P. patulum)

Ericales - Colicwoods (Myrsinaceae):  Myrsine sp.

Gentianales - Gentianaceae:  Gentians (Gentiana burnettii, G. decumbens, G. divisa, G. gracilifolia, G. grisebachii and G. matthewsii)

- Rubiaceae:  Mirrorplants (Coprosma obconica and C. talbrockiei)

- Mitreolaceae: Mitrasacme montana

Boraginales - Boraginaceae: Forget-me-nots (Myosotis angustata, M. arnoldii, M. brockiei, M. concinna, M. petiolata and M. tenericaulis)

Lamiales - Lentibulariaceae: Bladderwort (Utricularia novae-zelandiae)

- Scrophulariaceae: Chionohebe ciliolata; Eyebrights (Euphrasia cockayneana, E. dyeri and E. monroi); Hebe albicans, H. epacridea, H. glaucophylla, H. masoniae and H. matthewsii; Hedgehyssop (Gratiola nana); Ourisia clarkii, O. goulandiana and O. modesta; Parahebe catarractae

- Tetrachondraceae: Tetrachondra hamiltonii 

Cucurbitales - Coriariaceae: Coriaria angustissima

Asterales - Asteraceae: Brachyglottis greyi, B. rotundifolia and B. traversii; Brachyscome longiscapa; Celmisia gibbsii, C. haastii, C. monroi, C. rupestris and C. similis; Craspedia spp.; Cudweed (Gnaphalium paludosum, G. ensifer and G. polylepis); Daisy Bushes (Olearia capillaris and O. cymbifolia); Leptinella calcarea; Ragworts (Senecio glaucophyllus and S. rufiglandulosus); Raoulia laxa, R. subsericea and R. subulata; Strawflower (Helichrysum parvifolium)

- Stylidiaceae: Forstera nelsoni and F. sedifolia

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Austrofestuca littoralis; Bluegrasses (Poa dipsacea and P. sudicola); Chionochloa defracta, C. juncea and C. oreophila; Deyeuxia youngii; Oatgrass (Trisetum serpentinum); Simplicia buchananii; Tufted hair-Grass (Deschampsia caespitosa); Lachnagrostis sylvestris; Wallaby Grass (Rytidosperma pulchrum, R. pumilum and R. viride)

- Rushes (Juncaceae): Woodrushes (Luzula albicomans, L. rufa, L. serpentina and L. traversii)

- Cyperaceae: Birdcatching Sedge (Uncinia sinclairii); Hair-like Sedge (Carex capillaris) and Sedges (Carex brockiei, C. burnetti, C. devia, C. dissita, C. enysii, C. kirkii and C. matiri)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Libertia peregrinans

- orchids (Orchidaceae): Calochilus paludosus and C. robertsonii; Corybas acuminatus and C. trilobus; Pterostylis humilis, P. micromega and P. oliveri

- Asphodelaceae: Bulbinella talbotii

- Asteliaceae: Pineapplegrass (Astelia skottsbergii)

Possible activities

Excellent conditions for walking tourism and trekking - there are more than 570 km of walking and trekking trails. Trekking to some more remote parts of the national park maybe quite difficult.

Rafting, fishing, caving, kayaking.

Mountain biking is not allowed!

Note

Extraordinary beauty of the landscape

Extremely interesting area from geological point of view. Very rich  fossils findings including the oldest fossil found in New Zealand

Pictures - source wikipedia