Tiaki Maniototo
Galaxiids
Otago's hills are home to many species of tiny native fish called galaxiids. The name refers to the metallic sparkles some of them bear, which resemble stars.
Otago has more of these fish that any other part of New Zealand. The fish shown on the right is a Central Otago Roundhead galaxiid, found only in the Taieri/Taiari river and a couple of neighbouring catchments.
The Taieri/Taiari Flathead galaxiid is also found in the Upper Taieri/Taiari.
Central Otago Roundhead Galaxiid (Galaxias anomalus) Photo: On Lee Lau
Longfin Eel Photo: Gusmonkeyboy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Tūna
Native eels (tūna) and lamprey migrate hundreds of kilometres from the ocean to live in the Upper Taieri/Taiari. Tuna will live for up to 100 years in the river system before making their way to the sea to breed. Lamprey migrate the other way, spending much of their adult lives at sea before heading up into the river to breed.
Lamprey are heavily dependent on pheromones released from their larvae in order to find their way upriver, therefore destruction of stream habitat can be devastating for their migratory ability.
Similarly, eels are heavily impacted by dams that block their migration routes and prevent them getting out to sea when their time to breed arrives.
Wildfowl
The Upper Taieri/Taiari was once a teeming haven for native wildfowl, many species of which are now extinct.
Today, it is still full of ducks and geese, although most of these are introduced species.
Geese in particular are viewed as a pst by local farmers and part of Tiaki Māniototo/Māniatoto's role is managing their numbers through regular culls.
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New Zealand scaup Photo: Michal Klajban
Carex tenuiculmis Photo: John Barkla
Endangered Plants
The threatened native plants Lepidium sisymbrioides, mousetail (Myosurus minimus subsp. novae-zelandiae) (a spring annual), Carex tenuiculmis (a sedge) and Deschampsia cespitosa (a grass) can be found on the scroll plain.