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The Mokihinui
River above the Rough and Tumble Bush Lodge
has a massive, 68,000 hectare catchment.
Bordering Kahurangi National Park, which
is under consideration as a World Heritage
Area for its remarkable diversity of landforms,
flora and fauna, the Mokihinui catchment
features steep river gorges cloaked in indigenous
podocarp and beech forests and tussock tops
with tarns and alpine species.
The Mokihinui
River highly ranked in New Zealand in terms
of natural heritage value. Environmentally
rich and geologically diverse, the catchment
provides important habitat for the endangered
native blue duck (whio) and the threatened
long-fin eel.
On our property
and nearby are several wonderful examples
of giant podocarps, including rimu, matai
and rata. These forest giants host rich
and diverse vegetation (epiphytes, native
orchids, etc.). Counting the number of species
hosted in each of these trees is one of
our favourite past-times! A wide variety
of native fungi, ferns and mosses can be
seen very close to the lodge. The most magnificent
species of dawsonia superba (among
the world's largest mosses) we've ever seen
is right on site.
Surveys conducted
in early 2007 found the following threatened
and endangered species in the catchment:
blue duck (whio), western weka, kaka, kereru,
kakariki and the giant Powelliphanta land
snail. Kea and kiwi were also detected,
as were significant populations of small
forest birds, such as tomtits, robins, and
bellbirds.
At the lodge,
we notice definite seasonal variations amid
bird species. Weka, highly intelligent flightless
birds, are very present and have been known
to steal our guests' canapes (and bootlaces
and any small shiny objects left lying around
outside). Tui and kereru are common during
summer months, and provide excellent bird
watching opportunities.
Deer and goats
were introduced about 80 years ago and continue
to be widely found. Goats are commonly seen
on the Glasgow Tops, and deer -- occasionally
seen at the lodge -- are in significant
numbers at the Mokihinui Forks, providing
ample hunting opportunities.
Other introduced
species such as possums, stoats and rats,
wreak havoc on the native ecology, and we
strive
to control their numbers.
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The alpine environment of the Glasgow Tops
Blue duck (whio) sighted in the Mokihinui
South Branch, July 2007
Dracophyllum, at the bushline
Click on the photographs
for larger images
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