Tekapo Canal Trail

Flora and Fauna

Flora: Historically, riverbeds were scattered with low-lying native plants such as lichens, mat species and tufty herbs. When European settlers introduced species such as willow, gorse, sweet brier, broom and lupins, braided river conditions changed rapidly.

By the 19th century, glaciation and Maori fires had severely reduced South Canterbury’s forest cover. The only significant areas of podocarp forest – totara, kahikatea and matai – were at Arowhenua and along the foothills of the interior ranges. Other remnants comprised kowhai, matipo and similar species. There were small areas of beech and mountain totara forest at Aoraki/Mt Cook and along the Ben Ohau Range.

By the mid-19th century most of the area was covered by flax, fern, scrub and tussock. Cabbage trees were abundant. Early pastoralists burned tussock to promote edible shoots, or re-sowed their land in exotic grasses. Most native vegetation has now been superseded by introduced species. The largest remaining remnant of native forest is at Peel Forest near Geraldine.

The progressive development of the Waitaki Hydro-Electric Power Scheme has also brought about extensive changes to the braided rivers and adjoining wetlands, mostly due to the formation of four lakes and expansion of two natural lakes.

Graham’s buttercup, Haast’s hebe and a parahebe (found at up to 3,000 metres on exposed rocks in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park) are the only flowering plants growing in New Zealand that can survive at this height.

Fauna: The hunting for food by Maori and the introduction of exotic mammals such as cats, stoats, ferrets and weasels, has decimated bird numbers and variety however a number of rare and protected birds such as kea, the New Zealand falcon, rock wrens, black stilt, wrybills, and black–fronted terns can still be observed.

Introduced deer, thar, and chamois are found here and are hunted recreationally.

Rabbits and possums are major pests.

Trout and salmon abound in the rivers, canals and tarns.

Some wetlands have been used as sites to release endangered wildlife reared in captivity. ‘Kakï’, or ‘Black Stilt’ (Himantopus novaezelandiae), is a native wading bird only found in New Zealand. It is regarded by Maori as a taonga species – a living treasure. Once common throughout New Zealand, Kakï is now restricted to the braided rivers and wetlands of the Mackenzie Basin. A colony of 80 black-fronted tern nesting in the new Ruataniwha Wetland has been another notable success. The birds nesting in the fenced wetlands have a much higher breeding survival rate - over 90 per cent. Birds nesting outside the fences typically have less than a 40 per cent survival rate.

Himalayan chukor have been released in the grasslands and are often seen on the higher areas.

Long and short tussock skinks and geckos are still relatively common.