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Biodiversity in Ō Tū Wharekai

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Ō Tū Wharekai includes the Ashburton Lakes and part of the upper Rangitata River. It is part of a wetland restoration programme called Arawai Kākāriki and supports a high level of biodiversity.

Ō Tū Wharekai is a highcountry wetland area in inland Canterbury. It is home to many rare native plants and animals.

Ō Tū Wharekai is nationally important for wildlife. It is one of the three sites that make up the national Arawai Kākāriki wetland restoration programme. This programme aims to:

  1. Protect wetlands.
  2. Increase our understanding of these productive environments.

The better our understanding of these environments, the more we can improve wetland restoration in New Zealand.

The Hakatere Conservation Park centred on Ō Tū Wharekai, was opened in October 2007. The habitats include:

  • braided rivers
  • high country lakes
  • ephemeral tarns
  • streams
  • swamps
  • bogs.

Ō Tū Wharekai has been shaped by glaciers and provides a variety of habitats. Because the landscape is so varied it can support a large diversity of wildlife.

Birds

There are over 30 bird species that regularly use the lakes and wetlands. Ō Tū Wharekai contains the upper Rangitata River, which includes one of the most important breeding sites for the threatened wrybill/ngutu pare.

Other birds such as the Australian bittern/mātuku, and the Australian crested grebe/kāmana can be found at Ō Tū Wharekai.

As well as birds and fish, Ō Tū Wharekai is also home to minute animals called zooplankton, that live in the water.

Plant life

Ō Tū Wharekai is an important site for kettle holes, which support rare ephemeral turf vegetation. The swamps of Ō Tū Wharekai include a threatened sedge. Plants aren’t just restricted to above water. Ō Tū Wharekai has a huge diversity of aquatic plants, including freshwater algae.

There are many threatened animals and plants living in Ō Tū Wharekai.

Threatened native fish:

  • longfin eel/tuna
  • upland longjaw galaxias (small, freshwater fish).

Threatened bird species:

  • Australasian bittern/Mātuku
  • black-fronted tern/Tarāpirohe
  • black-billed gull/Tarāpuka
  • wrybill/Ngutu pare
  • banded dotterel/Turiwhatu
  • Australasian crested grebe/Kāmana
  • Caspian tern/Tārā nui.

Threatened Lizard species:

  • White-bellied skink (Nationally critical)
  • Mackenzie skink (Nationally vulnerable)
  • Scree skink (Nationally vulnerable)
  • Roamatimati/Long-toed skink
  • Spotted skink (Declining)
  • Canterbury Grass skink (Declining)
  • Jewelled Gecko (Declining)

Threatened plant species: 

  • Craspedia heron
  • marsh arrowrush
  • pygmy forget-me-not
  • pygmy clubrush
  • native lily
  • water brome
  • rare grasses.

These wetlands also contain some of the best examples of red tussock and pūkio wetlands in Canterbury. You will need to look closely to find some of these plants and animals during your field trip to Ō Tū Wharekai.

Ready for a quiz? Try the "Biodiversity in Ō Tū Wharekai" interactive activity.

Ō Tū Wharekai is important for wildlife. It is one of the three sites that make up the New Zealand Arawai Kākāriki wetland restoration programme. This project aims to:

  1. Protect wetlands.
  2. Increase our understanding of wetlands

The more we understand wetlands, the better we can look after them. Ō Tū Wharekai is part of the Hakatere Conservation Park. This park opened in October 2007. This area has lots of different habitats:

  • braided rivers
  • high country lakes
  • ephemeral tarns
  • streams
  • swamps
  • bogs.

Ō Tū Wharekai has been shaped by glaciers so has a variety of habitats. This means the area has a large variety of plants and animals.

Birds

There are over 30 bird species that use the lakes and wetlands. Ō Tū Wharekai includes the upper Rangitata River. This river is one of the most important breeding sites for the threatened wrybill/ngutu pare.

The Australian bittern/mātuku, and the Australian crested grebe/kāmana are also found at Ō Tū Wharekai. Other threatened birds include the Black fronted tern, Caspian tern, dotterel and black billed gull.

Threatened native fish include longfin eel/tuna and upland longjaw galaxias.

The area is also home to six threatened species of skink and one species of threatened gecko.

Ō Tū Wharekai is also home to tiny animals called zooplankton, that live in the water.

Plant life

Ō Tū Wharekai is an important site for kettle holes. These holes were carved out by glaciers and are not always full of water. Rare plants grow in these tarns. The swamps of Ō Tū Wharekai include a threatened sedge.

Ō Tū Wharekai also has a huge variety of plants living in the water, including freshwater algae.

There are many threatened plant species living in this area, some of which are found nowhere else. These wetlands also have some of the best examples of red tussock and pūkio wetlands in Canterbury.

You will need to look closely to find some of these plants and animals during your field trip to Ō Tū Wharekai.

Ready for a quiz? Try the "Biodiversity in Ō Tū Wharekai" interactive activity.

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A wetland near you? As well as Ō Tū Wharekai, find a wetland near you from 40 wetlands you can visit throughout New Zealand.

A wetland near you? As well as Ō Tū Wharekai, find a wetland near you from 40 wetlands you can visit throughout New Zealand.



Ō Tū Wharekai contains the Ashburton Lakes and is a wetland of national importance. Image: Shelley Hersey, LEARNZ.

Braided Rivers provide habitat for many plants and animals, including threatened birds. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

The threatened wrybill/ngutu pare breeds on braided river flats in Ō Tū Wharekai. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

This ephemeral tarn is dry for parts of the year and in early autumn is filled with flowering gentians. Image: Shelley Hersey, LEARNZ.

Ō Tū Wharekai is a stunning area which is also popular with tourists, hikers, hunters and fishers. Image: Shelley Hersey, LEARNZ.