Where to see wildlife in the south island, New Zealand

It certainly is no secret that my favourite experiences are those that involve animals and wildlife. Coming from Canada, there is no shortage of four legged creatures walking around, especially after a trip to the rockies, so after I moved to New Zealand one of my first google searches was to find out where I could see wildlife in the south island.

Unlike Canada, New Zealand doesn’t quite have the array of land mammals, or at least ones that aren’t too hard to spot. Instead, New Zealand is very good for spotting marine life and bird viewing.

What animals can you see?

Some animals are A LOT harder to see than others especially some of the bird life like the Kiwi. There are loads of tours you can do to increase your chances of seeing any animals but like most wildlife spotting there is a high level of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

There are some spots you can see wildlife for free but your best chances are with the tours. Your money also goes towards supporting the wildlife and viewing is done in the safest and most respectful manner to the animals.

Some of the more common wildlife in the south island to spot are marine life like seals, penguins, whales, dolphins and bird life like keas, fantails and pukekos.

What is the best time of day to see wildlife?

For some of the marine animals like seals and dolphins the time of day isn’t too much of a viewing factor. Generally animals are more active in the morning and late evening which is a great excuse to either get up early or stay up late and catch some colour in the sky.

What is the best time of year?

The best time of year to see wildlife in the south island really depends on the animal but for the most part you can see animals all year round. Seals for example are easily spotted no matter what time of year but penguins however are easier seen in the summer months.

What can I see, where and when?

Fur seals/kekeno

These cool dudes are pretty easy to see throughout the year and in many places around the south island! The most common to see is the New Zealand fur seal/Kekeno. They’re often sun bathing on the beach or rocky shores and don’t take too much notice to humans. Although they are pretty chill animals they can move fast so if you are viewing seals remember to stay at least 20 meters away. Check out some seal cuteness here!

If you’re looking for fur seals in New Zealand, try some of these spots!
– Kaikoura- Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, Point Kean viewpoint, Half Moon bay
– Seal swim Kaikoura– you can swim with seals or take viewing tour!
– Akaroa- best way to see them is on a cruise with Black Cat cruises
– Moeraki- the lighthouse
– Otago Peninsula (Dunedin)- Sandfly bay
-The Caitlins- Nugget Point
– Westport- Cape Foulwind
– Milford Sound
– Abel Tasman National Park
– North Otago- Shag Point

Yellow- eyed Penguins/ Hoiho

These guys can be much harder to spot as they are a lot more frightened of humans. They often see you first and will go and hide. Not disturbing their environment is key so be sure to give them a lot of space. Take notice of any beach time closures as this helps to not disturb the birds especially as they come in to feed their chicks.

The best times to see Hoiho is before 9 am but your best chances are between 3pm and dark when the penguins come in to feed their young. They however will not come to shore if they see people around so again, it is imperative you give them space. Many spots have blinds set up that you can hide behind. Best time of year is between September and February.

Some places you can see yellow- eyed penguins:
– Oamaru- Bushy Beach
– The Caitlins- Curio Bay, Nugget Point
– Dunedin- Sandfly Bay
– Dunedin- Otago Peninsula- Elm Wildlife tours, Penguin Place
– Moeraki- Katiki Point

Little Blue Penguins/korora

Much like yellow eyed penguins, little blue penguins are shy and wont come to shore if they can see people present. They are also quite hard to view as they make burrows underground to live and only come to land at night when it is dark out. You do have a chance of seeing them at sea during the day. If you’re viewing them in the dark refrain from use a flashlight unless it is bluelight as the birds are very sensitive. November and December are the best times to see these guys.

There are only a few places to see Little blue penguins in the south island. Sadly their populations are in decline in areas that are not protected against predation. In the areas that are protected, the populations are doing much better.

Here are some places you can see them during the day and at night!
– Akaroa – Black Cat Cruises
– Banks Peninsula- Pohatu Penguins
– Timaru- Caroline Bay
– Oamaru- Blue Penguin Colony

Fiordland Crested Penguins/tawaki

The tawaki is the world’s second rarest penguins species. Like the other penguins species these guys like their space and are very timid. To improve your chances of seeing any keep your distance and respect their homes. There are a few places you can view them but be prepared it can be more difficult. Try going out before 9 am and later afternoon between the months of July and November to improve your chances.

You can try spots on the southern part of the south island like,
– Lake Moeraki- Munroe Beach
– Fiordland- Milford Sound
– Hasst- Jackson bay

Dolphins

New Zealand is home to the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin called Maui Dolphins found only on the west coast in the north island. Other species of dolphins that hang around the south waters of New Zealand are bottlenose, dusky, hector’s and common dolphins. You can find different species in different areas around the south island. There are a few operators that offer swim with dolphin experiences as well as boat tours.

-Banks Peninsula & Akaroa- Black Cat Cruises
– Marlborough sounds- Eko Tours
– Fox Glacier- Gillespie’s Beach (sometimes)
– Fiordland- Milford Sound

Whales

I have always been fascinated by the size of whales. They are truly magnificent creatures and the experience to see one I think its unforgettable. Luckily the chances of seeing whales in New Zealand is actually quite high. The water especially near Kaikoura is really deep which is what the whales love. They dive deep and pretty much hunt all day. New Zealand waters are also the fourth largest marine territory in the world and whale migrations swim right through which all increases the chances of seeing a whale. If you ask me it is pretty damn amazing!

The best way to see them is either from a boat tour or scenic flight. Each giving a different perspective and both amazing experiences. I took a scenic flight with Air Kaikoura and although I was made apparent that I may have some motion sickness, being able to see the sheer size of them from above just blew my mind!

There are a few spots to see these incredible giants of the sea and do require taking a tour. The amazing thing is that you’ll often see dolphins, seals and other marine animals.
– Kaikoura- boat tours with Whale Watch Kaikoura and from the sky with Wings over Whales and Air Kaikoura
– Marlborough Sounds- between June/July along the Cook straight

Keas

The Kea is the world’s only alpine parrot and native to New Zealand. These highly intelligent birds are absolutely beautiful to see with their amazing colours under their wings but are sadly nationally endangered. Keas are very curious yet cheeky birds and are under threat from predators and humans. It’s so important like any wildlife to never feed these guys and drive carefully in the areas they are often found.

Being alpine parrots you’re likely to see them up high in the mountains, alpine huts and in cooler areas. Areas including:
– Arthurs Pass National Park- right in the town
– Fiordland- Milford Sound (Monkey Creek and Homer Tunnel)
– Queenstown hiking- Ben Lomond track
– Mt Cook village and on the hikes

Other native bird life

There are many other birds species native to New Zealand that are always a treat to see. These birds include the Weka, Pukekho, Tui, Fantail and kereru (wood pigeon). For the most part these birds can be found throughout the south island in the forests. Listen for the long songs of the bellbird and tui, the bright colours of the Pukekho and clumsiness of the kereru

Tips for photographing wildlife

• Patience!
  • it’s not too hard to spot seals or dolphins (especially from a boat) but wildlife like penguins who don’t come out at the sight of people do require patience to sit and wait
• Composition!
  • get on their eye level
  • try to get not only up close portrait shots but also ones that may have some landscape in the background or another animal nearby.
• Focus
  • focus on the animal’s eyes and get it nice and sharp. This is where a viewer will be drawn into the photo. If the eyes are blurry it just wont work
• Shutter speed
  • make sure you have a fast shutter speed at least 1/500 sec. When you’re using a longer lens you want to make sure your shutter speed is at least the length of your lens. For example if you’re using a 300mm telephoto your shutter speed needs to be AT LEAST 1/300 sec for a sharp photo
• Aperture
  • play around with your aperture. A low aperture like 4.0 or 5.6 will give you that blurred background but for some photos you may want to try f/8 to f/11 so that you get the entirety of the animal in focus
• Lens
  • one of the standard kit lens is 55-300 mm. I would suggest using a 300mm lens if you can. If you have some more length, even better. This will help you keep the right amount of space with the animal all while getting a great shot.

Have you seen the wildlife of New Zealand? What spots am I missing?

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