Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

🇳🇿 New Zealand

🐐 Chamois Echoes Across Aoraki Peaks

🌍 #278 Global · 2.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #24 in Oceania #57 in Savanna & Grassland

New Zealand, New Zealand 151 spp. recorded

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is a dramatic alpine sanctuary located in the heart of New Zealand's South Island, dominated by towering snow-capped peaks, massive glaciers, and rugged rocky terrain. Visitors traverse steep mountain tracks and open subalpine scrublands surrounded by dramatic ice-carved valleys.

-43.589° S 170.268° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

20–30% · Possible

Himalayan Tahr

Hemitragus jemlahicus

Insufficient data

Common Brushtail

Trichosurus vulpecula

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

80–90% · Very likely

Eurasian Blackbird

Turdus merula

80–90% · Very likely

Miromiro

Petroica macrocephala

70–80% · Very likely

Grey Warbler

Gerygone igata

70–80% · Very likely

Silvereye

Zosterops lateralis

70–80% · Very likely

Dunnock

Prunella modularis

60–70% · Likely

New Zealand Fantail

Rhipidura fuliginosa

60–70% · Likely

Paradise Shelduck

Tadorna variegata

60–70% · Likely

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos

50–60% · Likely

New Zealand Bellbird

Anthornis melanura

50–60% · Likely

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

40–50% · Likely

Black-fronted Tern

Chlidonias albostriatus

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

20–30% · Possible

Himalayan Tahr

Hemitragus jemlahicus

Insufficient data

Common Brushtail

Trichosurus vulpecula

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Stoat

Mustela erminea

10–20% · With luck

Common Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Insufficient data

Red Deer

Cervus elaphus

Insufficient data

Brown Hare

Lepus europaeus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

80–90% · Very likely

Eurasian Blackbird

Turdus merula

80–90% · Very likely

Miromiro

Petroica macrocephala

70–80% · Very likely

Grey Warbler

Gerygone igata

70–80% · Very likely

Silvereye

Zosterops lateralis

70–80% · Very likely

Dunnock

Prunella modularis

60–70% · Likely

New Zealand Fantail

Rhipidura fuliginosa

60–70% · Likely

Paradise Shelduck

Tadorna variegata

60–70% · Likely

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos

50–60% · Likely

New Zealand Bellbird

Anthornis melanura

50–60% · Likely

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

40–50% · Likely

Black-fronted Tern

Chlidonias albostriatus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Jewelled Gecko

Naultinus gemmeus

20–30% · Possible

Common New Zealand Skink

Oligosoma polychroma

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Animal Events

🦌

Chamois Rutting Season

FebMarNov

Male chamois compete for mates in dramatic head-butting contests, visible on rocky slopes and ridges.

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

20–30% · Possible

🦌

Tahr Calving and Early Season Activity

JanAprSep

Himalayan tahr give birth to kids in sheltered alpine areas, while adults graze on early-season vegetation.

Himalayan Tahr

Hemitragus jemlahicus

Insufficient data

🦌

Brushtail Foraging at Twilight

FebMaySep

Common brushtails emerge at dusk to forage on berries and foliage near forest edges and visitor facilities.

Common Brushtail

Trichosurus vulpecula

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

Northern Chamois

20–30

30–40

40–50

<5

<5

20–30

0–10

0–10

0–10

<5

20–30

10–20

10–20

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

<5

<5

20–30

<5

<5

<5

Common Brushtail

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

70–80

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

30–40

0–10

20–30

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

60–70

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

Eurasian Blackbird

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

90–100

70–80

80–90

60–70

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

90–100

60–70

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

New Zealand Fantail

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

70–80

60–70

50–60

Paradise Shelduck

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

20–30

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

New Zealand Bellbird

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

European Greenfinch

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

70–80

20–30

50–60

Black-fronted Tern

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

Animal Events

🦌 Chamois Rutting Season

🦌 Tahr Calving and Early Season Activity

🦌 Brushtail Foraging at Twilight

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate

🐐 Chamois Echoes Across Aoraki Peaks

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

2.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

131

🐒 Mammals

11

🦎 Reptiles

7

🐸 Amphibians

2

151 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

26 Threatened 49 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

65%

📊

Coverage (45 species at ≥5% of 151 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

30%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)

47% Global avg

0%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

38

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

3

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

14

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