Purakaunui Falls, New Zealand Photograph by Susanne Peck   Southern part of New Zealand's South Island Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests   4,500 square miles (11,700 square kilometers) -- about the size of Connecticut Vulnerable

· Coastal Forests and Pastures
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Coastal Forests and Pastures

Podocarp, broadleaf, and beech forests line the southeastern coast of South Island. Poor soils and strong westerly winds limit forest development, and, since settlement by the Maori and Europeans, pastures are common here. The last remaining plains of bushy red tussock grass can also be found, and peat domes are a typical feature seen in this ecoregion.

Special Features

On the eastern side of the island, the Catlins coastline is known for its spectacular scenery. Small rivers run through the forests, eventually draining into the sea in placid estuaries. The mighty Clutha River, the largest in New Zealand, enters the ocean along this coast. The forest consists of a tangled profusion of trees, including the broadleaf kamahi and the rata, a towering endemic myrtle tree known for its bright red blossoms.

This region was one of the first areas in New Zealand to be occupied by the Maori, who found an abundance of food in the form of native fish and birds when they arrived from Polynesia. Overexploitation soon led to the extinction of all the moas, flightless birds related to ostriches and emus. Before the arrival of the Maori, there were more than ten species of moas, which ranged from the size of a turkey up to 10 feet (3 m) tall.

Wild Side

An abundance of bird life--including many endemic species--can be found in these forests. Golden yellow-and-brown bellbirds and green tuis seek out nectar, while the wood pigeon, or kereru, feeds on fruits and berries. The orange-breasted male fantail splays his tail feathers in the showy display that inspired his common name. At the northern end of the Catlins coast, Nugget Point is an important area for marine mammals. The elephant seal, New Zealand fur seal, and Hooker’s sea lion can all be seen here. The yellow-eyed penguin also breeds here.

Cause for Concern

This area has been highly altered by human settlement, first by the Maori and then by Europeans. Much of the native forest and grassland has been converted to pastureland, a process that is continuing today. Feral and introduced animals such as possums threaten native plants, while introduced predators threaten native birdlife.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.