Kahurangi National Park

The national park was formed in 1996, although much of the area was part of a forest park since the 1960s. The rivers along this route are a sanctuary area for the rare Whio or Blue Duck. They are a swift water bird that has been heavily predated by imported stoats and weasels. There is a large trapping program with traps along the rivers. Do not open them as they contain both poison and a dangerous trap. Since the trapping program began, the number of Whio have increased. Introduced snapdragons are beautiful but a nuisance in more open areas. You are encouraged to pull them out and leave them on a rock to die. European wasps are a nuisance and there are bright orange traps with poison for the wasps. Please leave the traps alone. For the safety of other environmentally sensitive areas take action to protect other areas of Didymo. You can do this by: Didymo is an imported aquatic pest that is also known as snotty bottom due its ugly clogging slime that forms in lakes and streams. Didymo is present in the Wangapeka catchments....