Nelson Lakes National Park

Localization

Northern part of the New Zealand´s Southern Island

Access

Easy

Characteristic

1 018 km², A rugged, mountainous area in Nelson Region - northernmost part Southern Alps. It is centered at two large glacial lakes. The park also includes surrounding valleys and mountain ranges. Typical ecosystems: tmperate zone forest, alpine biotopes above (abrupt border between forest and apline zones), freshwater ecosystems (lakes and rivers).

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Marsupials - Brushtail Possums (Phalangeridae):  Common Brush-tailed Possum - introduced species

Lagomorphs - Rabbits and Hears (Leporidae): Brown Hare - introduced for hunting

Even-toed Ungulates  - Pigs (Suidae): Wild Boar - introduced for hunting

- Deers (Cervidae):  Red Deer - introduced for hunting

- Cows, Buffaloes (Bovidae):  Chamois - introduced for hunting

Birds:

Struthioniformes - Kiwis (Apteryidae):  Great Spotted Kiwi

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae):  Great Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Australasian Bittern; Cattle Egret; Great White Egret; White-faced Heron

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Royal Spoonbill

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

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

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): New Zealand Falcon

Galliformes - Partridges and Pheasants (Phasianidae):  Common Pheasant - introduced for hunting

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

Charadriiformes - Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Black-winged Stilt

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

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae):  Eurasian Oystercatcher; Variable Oystercatcher

- Terns (Sternidae): White-fronted Tern

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

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae):  New Zealand 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

- Butcherbirds and Currawongs (Cracticidae): Australian Magpie

- 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):  Yellowhead

- 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

Reptiles:

Lizards and Snakes - Skinks (Scincidae):  Oligosoma waimatense

- Geckoes (Gekkonidae):  Black-eyed Gecko (Hoplodactylus kahutarae)

Fish:

Salmons - Salmonids (Salmonidae): Brown Trout (Salmo trutta fario) - introduced species and Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) - introduced species

Osmeriformes - Galaxiids (Galaxiidae): Climbing Galaxias (Galaxias brevipinnis) and Dwarf galaxias (Galaxias divergens)

Anguilliformes - Freswater Eels (Anguillidae): Freshwater Eel (Anguilla diffenbachii)

Insects:

Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids - Anostostomatidae:  Deinacrida elegans and D. parva

Beetles - Jewel beetles (Buprestidae): Nascioides enysi

- Weevils (Curculionidae): Platypus spp. (3 species)

Plants:

Conifers:

Pinales - Podocarpaceae: Kahika (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides); Celery Pine (Phyllocladus alpinus); New Zealand Red Pine (Dacrydium cupressinum); Prumnopitys taxifolia; Snow Totara (Podocarpus nivalis)

Dicotyledons:

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae:  Buttercup (Ranunculus haastii)

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae):  Notothlaspi rosulatum

Fagales - Fagaceae:  Hard Beech (Nothofagus truncata), Mountain Beech (Nothofagus solandri), New Zealand Red Beech (Nothofagus fusca) and Silver Beech (Nothofagus menziesii),

Geraniales - Geraniaceae:  Geranium spp.

Sapindales - Sapindaceae: Kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile)

Myrtales - Myrtaceae:  Rata (Metrosideros robusta)

Apiales - Apiaceae:  Spaniards (Aciphylla spp.)

Ericales - Epacridaceae: Dracophyllum sp.

Gentianales - Gentianaceae:  Gentians (Gentiana spp.)

Boraginales - Boraginaceae:  Forget-me-not (Myosotis laeta)

Lamiales - Scrophulariaceae: Ourisia spp.

Asterales - Asteraceae:  Craspedia spp.; Mountain Diasies (Celmisia spp.); Hasstia spp.; Ragworts (Senecio spp.); Raoulia spp.

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Tussocks (Chionochloa australis, C. flavescens, C. pallens and C. rubra)

- Cyperaceae:  Sedge (Carex uncifolia)

Asparagales - Phormiaceae: Mountain Flax (Phormium cookianum)

Possible activities

Very good conditions for walking and trekking - a network of short as well as longer trails.

Fishing, mountaineering, canoeing, swimming, yachting, water skiing, rafting, mountain bikes, skiing during winter time

Note

A pest-free refuge is built in the honeydew beech forests beside Lake Rotoiti paving the way for the recovery and re-introduction of native species in the area.

Picture - source wikipedia