THE MUST-DO VISIT IN FRANZ JOSEF
Together, we can help protect New Zealand’s most unique and highly endangered wildlife – the world's rarest Kiwi, the Kororā penguins, and the ancient Tuatara.
Open Christmas Day and All Public holidays From 8:30 am to 7:00 pm
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VIP Backstage Pass Tours, Includes your All-day Pass entry ticket
Includes your All-day Pass entry ticket. Tours at 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm and 4 pm daily – Bookings essential
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All-day pass entry tickets
48-hour ticket to see live Penguins, live Kiwi, live Tuatara, and our incredible glacier attraction. Live Penguin feeding at 11 am and 3 pm daily. Time Required: 30 minutes to 2 hours. Remember, the more you put into the attraction, the more you will get out of it.
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Annual Pass - Unlimited Entry All Year
Make every visit unforgettable with our Annual Pass! Get 12 months of unlimited entry to the West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef — home to kiwi, tuatara, and rescued little blue penguins in a world-class habitat.
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Exciting New Ambassador Kororā Encounter
The Little Blue Penguin, or kororā in te reo Māori, holds the distinction of being the smallest penguin species on Earth. These diminutive birds stand at only about 30cm tall and weigh a mere 1kg. Found across the coastlines of New Zealand and in Southern Australia (where they are often called Fairy Penguins), they prefer sheltered bays, rocky coasts, and offshore islands for their habitats.
Fun information about our Korora Penguins
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Arnold（阿诺德）：家里的唯一雄性成员。他在阿卡罗阿港附近被发现，因船只撞击导致右肩严重脱臼。他在南岛野生动物医院接受救治并进行了截肢手术。现在的他依然保持着绅士风度，在加入群体后深受其他成员的欢迎。 -
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Anakin(阿纳金) 她在海滩上被路人发现时生命垂危，身体极度虚 弱且一只鳍被狗咬掉了。她在新西兰鸟类护理中心进行初步康复后，转至奥克兰动物 园野生动物医院接受了截肢手术和专家护理。现在的她是馆内公认的“捕鱼达人”，在水中的敏捷度极高。 -
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Boo(小布): 她在陶朗加芒格努伊山海岸因船只撞击于海中挣扎时被救起，先后在西丰盛湾与激流岛鸟类救援中心接受髋关节治疗。她性格活泼，是群体中的社交能手，同时也是水中反应迅速、技巧娴熟的猎手。 -
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Flipper(小鳍):她在普纳凯基海滩的岩洞中被发现，因严重犬只袭击造成胸部巨大创口，并伴随严重脑损伤。经当地兽医紧急处理后，转送至南岛野生动物医院，经历了漫长而艰辛的康复过程，重新学习游泳、进食与梳理羽毛等本能。她至今仍是馆内重点照护的对象。 -
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Pebbles(小鹅卵石) 在科罗曼德尔海岸的旺阿马塔被发现时，因船只撞击失去了右鳍，并一度陷入昏迷。她先由泰晤士鸟类救援中心照护，随后转至奥克兰动物园野生动物医院接受深入治疗。如今的她已经奇迹般康复，性格开朗又亲切，是企鹅群里的开心果，也和 Anakin 与 Katy 成为了好朋友。 -
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Koru(科鲁) 她在阿卡罗阿港因船只撞击受伤后获救，并在南岛野生动物医院接受肩关节与脑部损伤治疗。虽然脑部受伤使她在陆地上偶尔失去平衡，但一入水中便判若两“鹅”，最爱在池中展现流畅灵动的泳姿。 -
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Katy(凯蒂): 另一位船只撞击的幸存者。她在北奥克兰陶哈拉努伊半岛海岸受伤，随后被送往奥克兰动物园野生动物医院治疗右鳍损伤。由于伤势影响，她无法进行深潜。性格害羞的她总是安静地排队，耐心等待加餐时间。
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About the Little Blue Penguin (Kororā)
The Little Blue Penguin, or kororā in te reo Māori, holds the distinction of being the smallest penguin species on Earth. These diminutive birds stand at only about 30cm tall and weigh a mere 1kg. Found across the coastlines of New Zealand and in Southern Australia (where they are often called Fairy Penguins), they prefer sheltered bays, rocky coasts, and offshore islands for their habitats.
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The West Coast is the home of New Zealand’s rarest kiwi
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Incredible Viewing Experience
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 Haast tokoeka and the rowi 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.
A very natural kiwi viewing experience.
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is where you can see kiwi in an open, nocturnal walkthrough area (NO Glass) or go behind the scenes to see the rowi and Haast tokoeka hatching programme. This is a fascinating South Island, New Zealand tour not to be missed.
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Meet New Zealand’s Tuatara – Back To The Future!
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The Tuatara is a species of reptile endemic to New Zealand. Despite its close resemblance to lizards, it is the only living member of a distinct lineage, the previously highly diverse order Rhynchocephalia. The name Tuatara is derived from the Māori language and means "peaks on the back".This is a very unique opportunity to see the last living descendants of ancient reptiles that first roamed the Earth over 200 million years ago years ago. Check out Rewi here - our A 35-year-old, large, and very impressive male Tuatara!.
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Fun and Fascinating Facts About Tuatara
A tuatara might look like a lizard, but it’s actually a distinct and extraordinarily ancient reptile, a true living fossil. This creature is the sole survivor of the rhynchocephalian order, a lineage that first appeared on Earth an astonishing 200 million years ago — a full 120 million years before the Tyrannosaurus rex even walked the planet. All of its relatives died out over 60 million years ago, making the tuatara the last representative of a vast and ancient group.
WIN A PENGUIN DAY TO REMEMBER
Win an amazing family adventure and come face-to-flipper with your very own named penguin!
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A Self-Guided 48-Hour General Pass
In addition to our unique indoor attraction, we also operate a popular local gift store. Looking for the best coffee in Franz Josef? Our guest tells us that our Café is a relaxing place to grab a drink, and our bakery can even make you a packed lunch for your day out exploring!
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