Upper Waitaki zone biodiversity

Highlights

Flora and fauna

There are many nationally rare and threatened ecosystems found in the zone, including inland alluvial surfaces, inland dune systems, ephemeral wetlands (kettleholes), and braided rivers.

Threatened native fish species are: lowland longjaw galaxias, big nose galaxias, upland longjaw galaxias, longfin eel and kōaro.

37 native wetland/river birds are found in the Upper Waitaki, with 20 species listed as threatened.

The six most threatened species are grey duck, white heron, black stilt (all nationally critical), followed by bittern, black-fronted tern and black-billed gull (nationally endangered).

16 native terrestrial bird species, including five threatened species, have been identified in the Upper Waitaki zone.

Those threatened species are: eastern falcon, rock wren, South Island rifleman, kea and long-tailed cuckoo.

Many threatened invertebrate species have been identified in the Upper Waitaki Zone. The Canterbury knobbled weevil was thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered recently in the Burkes Pass area.