It covers 85% of New Zealand's third main island; one of the best places in the world to see wild kiwi by day
Area
1,570 km²
Protection category
IUCN II
Parque nacional —
Designated in
2002
Declared in 2002, Rakiura covers roughly 85% of Stewart Island, New Zealand's third main island and one of the southernmost inhabited places in the country. It is one of the few places in the world where the southern brown kiwi, a bird strictly nocturnal everywhere else in New Zealand, can occasionally be seen active by day as well, a behaviour attributed to the almost complete absence of introduced predators on the island compared with the rest of the country.
2 dive sites within 300 km are also shown.
Ecosystems found in New Zealand, where Rakiura (Stewart Island) lies.
Where can I dive near here?
24 km away
259 km away
What is worth looking out for this month in New Zealand?
Now is a good time: Resident sperm whales in the Kaikoura Canyon (Year-round)
Which other parks are like this one?
Same country: New Zealand
Same country: New Zealand
Same country: New Zealand
Same country: New Zealand
Based on what we already know about this park.
Region
South Island (Stewart Island)
Climate
Tropical, Temperate, Mountain
Best season
December to February
Route duration
2–4 days
Route difficulty
Moderate
Plan your visit
Threatened:Southern Royal Albatross,Great White Shark,New Zealand Kaka,Southern Brown Kiwi,Yellow-eyed Penguin,Weka,Wetapunga,Hector's Dolphin,South Island Takahe
Endemic species of New Zealand:Hector's Dolphin,South Island Takahe
Least ConcernBlack-browed Albatross
Thalassarche melanophris
VulnerableSouthern Royal Albatross
Diomedea epomophora
Least ConcernKelp Gull
Larus dominicanus
VulnerableGreat White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
EndangeredNew Zealand Kaka
Nestor meridionalis
VulnerableSouthern Brown Kiwi
Apteryx australis
Least ConcernNew Zealand Fur Seal
Arctocephalus forsteri
Near ThreatenedFiordland Penguin
Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
EndangeredYellow-eyed Penguin
Megadyptes antipodes
VulnerableWeka
Gallirallus australis
VulnerableWetapunga
Deinacrida heteracantha
Spotted Shag
Phalacrocorax punctatus