Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is situated in the South Island of New Zealand near the town of Twizel. Aoraki Mount Cook village lies within the park. The area was formally gazetted as a national park in October 1953 and consists of reserves that were established as early as 1887 to protect the area’s significant vegetation and landscape.
Glaciers cover 40% of the park area and there are 19 peaks over 3,000 metres including New Zealand's highest mountain, Mount Cook or Aoraki as it is also known. The park is also part of Te Wahipounamu South Westland World Heritage Site in recognition of its outstanding natural values.
Flora and fauna
Most of the park is situated above the tree line so that the plant life consists mainly of alpine plants such as the Mount Cook buttercup, the large mountain daisies and wild spaniard or spear grass. Birdlife consists of species like the kea, the only alpine parrot and the well-camouflaged pippit. The riverbed of the Waitaki River is home to the black stilt, one of New Zealand's rarest birds.
