Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere wetlands
Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere is the most important wetland habitat of its type in New Zealand, providing essential habitats for a large range of bird, plant and invertebrate species. A 1990 National Water Conservation Order declared it as an outstanding wildlife habitat.
To Ngāi Tahu it represents a major mahinga kai and an important source of mana, to all New Zealanders it is an important location for both commercial and recreational activities.
Te Waihora covers about 20,000 hectares, about the same as Lake Wanaka. It is an unusual lagoon, salty and shallow, with an average depth of 1.4 metres. It is a brackish coastal lagoon that is termed eutrophic, i.e. rich in plant nutrients.
Te Waihora / Lake Ellesmere
Te Waihora is of outstanding importance for wildlife. The low-lying lands between the Selwyn Delta and the Halswell River are important for large populations of waders. The Kaituna Lagoon/Birdlings Flat area is important for waterfowl habitat. The total number of bird species recorded in the Te Waihora environment over the years is 161 (1987 DOC). Up to 98,000 wetland birds use the lake at any one time. At least 37 species breed in the lake and are resident during the year.
Forty three species of fish have been recorded from Te Waihora and its tributaries, of which six are exotic species (e.g. trout, salmon). Basking sharks and stingrays have also been spotted in the lake at different times.