Waitaki biodiversity

The Waitaki District is rich in biodiversity, climatic extremes and geological complexity. From the glacial valleys in the west to the coastal cliffs in the east, the Waitaki environment supports thousands of species of plants and animals, all of which contribute to the unique character of the district.

One way of recognising how the Waitaki District varies across its length is to define Ecological Districts. These reflect the variation in topology, geology and climate, which influences the character and type of vegetation and animals that live there.

There are fifteen entire or partial ecological districts in Waitaki, the eleven largest of which (in alphabetical order) are: Ahuriri, Benmore, Dansey, Duntroon, Glenavy, Hawkdun,Macraes, Oamaru, Omarama, St Mary and Waianakarua.

Recent species observation from Waitaki District

Threats to Waitaki’s indigenous biodiversity