Fiordland National Park New Zealand

Fiordland National Park is located in the southwest corner of the South Island in New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks that currently exist in New Zealand with an area of 12,500 km ². The park is administered by the Department of Conservation of New Zealand.

In the ancient glaciers were formed large number of fjords, the most famous (and most visited) is the Milford Sound. Other notables are the fjords at Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound.

Fiordland coast is rugged, with fjords spread through the valleys of the Southern Alps, such as the hills and mountains Kepler Murchison. In the northern region of the park there are several peaks some of which exceed 2,000 m.

Ice has carved out islands there are many lakes around the park, the largest are Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri, Monowai Lake, Lake Hauroko, and Lake Poteriteri.

Sutherland Falls, southwest of Milford Sound on the trail Milfors, are among the highest falls in the world.

The wildlife in the park includes dolphins, seals, small rodents such as mice, rats and rabbits, but also has a large variety of birds and deer. Among the species of birds are distinguished the Kakapo, the only flightless parrot in the world. Also there is the kiwi, is a native of New Zealand.

One of the entrances to the Fiordland National Park.

Road access is restricted to Fiordland to Milford Road (SH 94), which extends from Te Anau, Bordenado before entering the park near the springs of the river Eglinton. From there it crosses the north-western corner of the park, ending at Milford Sound.

South of Te Anau where a small road links to Manapouri. A road connecting the bridge with Doubtful Sound east of Lake Manapouri.

Helicopters and planes to provide transport to Milford Sound in which has a small fleet of boats.

The park is a popular destination for climbers, mountaineers and especially for the hiking trails that run Milford, Kepler, Routeburn and Hollyford, all located in or near the park.

Other tourists are attracted just to the sights of the fjords such as Milford Sound.

Helicopter Game

In the 1920s, the park had an increase in deer population, non-native species introduced from Europe, which generated a problem in the balance of the ecosystem. To counter this scourge the government encouraged the hunting of deer paying for each animal killed.

Associated with the sale of skins and meat of deer hunting quickly became a very lucrative business in which many groups of hunters spent acquiring helicopters to bring to the area and then easily undertake hunts from the air.

As a result, they reduced the European population of deer which declined making it no longer viable for the helicopter to be used for hunting so now these are mostly for tourist observation flights.