The centre
Discover the world’s rarest kiwi at the West Coast Wildlife Centre.
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an exciting public-private partnership with the Department of Conservation. It is the official indoor home to the on-demand hatching and incubation programme of the Haast tokoeka and the rowi kiwi. The rowi is found only in the South Okarito Forest near Franz Josef. The Haast tokoeka kiwi inhabits the Haast Range, between the Waiatoto and Arawhata Rivers. These are 2 of the rarest kiwis on the planet!.
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Kiwi Attraction
The West Coast is the home of New Zealand’s rarest kiwi.
Kiwi are a flightless, nocturnal bird, found only in New Zealand. There are five different species of kiwi, all of which are endangered due to the introduction of predators and habitat loss. The Rowi and Haast tokoeka are the two most endangered kiwi in the world, with fewer than 650 of each bird remaining. Rowi are restricted to the Okarito Forest, north of Franz Josef Glacier, and the Haast tokoeka are limited to a small area of forest near Haast, South Westland.
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is where you can see kiwi in a nocturnal walkthrough area or go behind the scenes to see the Haast tokoeka hatching programme. This is a fascinating and award-winning South Island, New Zealand tour not to be missed.
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Glacier Attraction
New Zealand is home to more than 3,100 majestic glaciers, with most nestled high in the Southern Alps, stretching from Arthur’s Pass to Fiordland.
Here on the West Coast, two of the most famous — Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers — carve their way through ancient valleys, creating landscapes found almost nowhere else on Earth.
Step inside and journey into a place where the Ice Age is still alive — where mighty rivers of ice flow down towards lush rainforest, almost touching the sea. This is a land where nature’s power and beauty collide, and where every creak and shimmer of the glacier tells a story that began thousands of years ago.
Facts
Here are some facts to help you get the picture: over its 13 kilometre length, the Fox glacier plummets 2,600 metres from high in the Southern Alps. It is fed by four alpine glaciers that receive around 30 metres of snowfall each year. The snow is compacted at the top of the glacier into blue ice hundreds of metres deep.
This ice slides down hill to the more level river valley below, where it is still 300 metres thick. The movement is lubricated by ice that melts under pressure between the glacier and the steep valley floor. This effect, combined with the high snowfall feeding the top of the glacier, means the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers flow around ten times faster than most valley glaciers.
Tuatara – Living Links to the Age of Dinosaurs.
Tuatara are among the most extraordinary creatures on Earth — living fossils that have walked our planet for over 250 million years, long before the dinosaurs disappeared. The name tuatara comes from the Māori language, meaning “peaks on the back,” a nod to the distinctive spines that run along their neck and back. These remarkable reptiles are the sole surviving members of an ancient order called Rhynchocephalia, making them more closely related to dinosaurs than to modern lizards. Tuatara have a “third eye” — a light-sensitive organ on the top of their head that helps regulate hormones and daily rhythms. They grow slowly and can live for over 100 years, with some breeding well into their 70s. Native only to New Zealand, tuatara were once widespread across the mainland but now survive mainly on predator-free offshore islands and in protected sanctuaries. Their survival depends on careful conservation and ongoing protection from introduced predators.Seeing a tuatara up close is like peering back in time — a rare chance to meet a living relic of Earth’s distant past and to celebrate one of New Zealand’s most extraordinary and enduring species.
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Book nowExciting New Ambassador Korora Encounter opens in Franz Josef, South Westland!
Exciting News from the West Coast Wildlife Centre!
The award-winning West Coast Wildlife Centre is thrilled to unveil a spectacular new chapter in our story — a multimillion-dollar expansion that’s bringing visitors even closer to New Zealand’s most beloved wildlife. Introducing the Ambassador Penguin Encounter — a unique new home for injured little blue penguins (kororā) who can’t return to the wild but now have a critical new mission: to inspire, educate, and charm everyone they meet!
Get ready to waddle into their world — because your entry ticket now includes access to meet these adorable penguin ambassadors up close. Discover their incredible rescue stories, learn how we care for them, and experience the magic of New Zealand’s smallest (and cheekiest!) penguins.
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We only preserve what we love, We only love what we understand, We only understand what we study
Open daily and conveniently located inside the West Coast Wildlife Centre. It is the perfect location to browse and relax. Meet our friendly and well-trained team, who are helpful and knowledgeable.
It’s the ideal way to start your day — unwind with a flat white, browse our locally inspired gifts and souvenirs, and get ready for an unforgettable wildlife experience where you’ll encounter three of New Zealand’s most iconic and endangered species — kiwi, tuatara, and little blue penguins (kororā) — all under one roof!
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The West Coast Wildlife shop and café
Before or after your amazing Wildlife Centre experience, come in and browse in our uncluttered, spacious and relaxed shop and café. Enjoy the warm environment and discover something different and something new.
☕ More Than Just Wildlife – A Perfect Stop in Franz Josef!
In addition to our unique, all-weather indoor wildlife attraction, we’re also home to one of Franz Josef’s most popular local gift stores — the perfect place to pick up a special memento of your West Coast adventure.
And if you’re on the hunt for the best coffee in town, you’re in luck! ☕ Guests consistently tell us that our on-site café is a must-visit — a welcoming, relaxed spot to enjoy a delicious hot drink, connect to free Wi-Fi (with any purchase), and soak up the friendly atmosphere before or after exploring the centre.
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