| General Information Stingrays Whales & Dolphins |
General InformationAll sorts of marine plants and animals live in the waters around Great Barrier because its ragged, mainly rocky coastline provides such a range of habitats. Marine life ranges from pelagic fish and whales to tropical reef fish, sea-snakes, turtles and manta rays. The more tropical marine life is drawn to the island's waters because the East Auckland current makes them warmer and more saline than the Hauraki Gulf. All the freshwater fish on Great Barrier can also be found in the mainland, although not vice versa! Marine species in the coastal waters of Awana include whales, dolphins, marlin, penguins, stings rays, snapper, kingfish, kahawai and crayfish. More than 70 species of fish inhabit the subtidal reefs on Awana's northeastern coastline. These include yellow-eyed mullet and young kahawai which swim up the river at high tide to feed on plankton and alluvial deposits following surface flooding in the valley. Mudcrabs (Helice crassa) and mud snails (Amphibola crenata) are common among the mangroves of the river bed. Shore crabs, sea anemones and carnivorous whelks thrive amongst the lichen, seaweeds and kelp that grow in the many rock pools and sea caves around Awana Bay and Stony Bay. And in the reefs you'll find rock lobsters, New Zealand's largest crustacean, the packhorse cray, as well as kina (sea eggs) and paua (abalone). Awana's clean, white sand is home to tiny invertebrates such as polychaete worms, amphipods and isopods as well as tuatua and paddle crabs which you can spot at low tide. |
ACT has continued to remove feral predators and monitor wildlife in
The Awana Catchment Trust relies on the goodwill and generosity of public and private donors. If you would 
These days you're only likely to spot the Brown Teal in parts of Auckland
and Northland. And
|
Home
News
Make a Donation
Contact
Subscribe
Print this Page
Tell a Friend
Add to Favorites