Firth of Thames facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Firth of Thames |
|
|---|---|
An image showing the Hauraki Gulf. The Firth of Thames is the large bay to the southeast.
|
|
| Location | North Island of New Zealand |
| Area | 8,927 hectares (22,060 acres) |
| Designated: | 29 January 1990 |
| Reference #: | 459 |
The Firth of Thames (which is called Tikapa Moana-o-Hauraki in Māori) is a large bay in the north of New Zealand's North Island. A "firth" is like a big arm of the sea that reaches inland. This firth is where the Waihou and Piako rivers flow into the ocean. The town of Thames is located on its southeastern shore.
Its shorter Māori name is Tikapa.
The Firth of Thames is at the southern end of the Hauraki Gulf, which is southeast of the city of Auckland. The bay sits in a special type of valley called a graben. This valley formed when the land sank down between two higher areas: the Coromandel Peninsula and the Hunua Ranges. This valley continues south into the Hauraki Plains.
Protecting the Firth of Thames
The Firth of Thames is a very important place for waders, also known as shorebirds. These birds love to feed in the shallow waters and mudflats. Because it's so important for these birds, the firth is listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. This is an agreement that helps protect important wetlands around the world.
On the western side of the bay, at Miranda, you'll find the Miranda Shorebird Centre. This center is run by the Miranda Naturalists' Trust and helps people learn about the amazing birds that live here.
Challenges for the Firth
Even though it's protected, the Firth of Thames has been hurt by human activities. For example, water running off from dairy farms can carry pollution into the bay. Also, in the past, there was a lot of mussel dredging (collecting mussels from the seabed). Even though this stopped over 40 years ago, the firth is still recovering from the damage it caused. You can find more information about this in the Hauraki Gulf article.
Whales in the Bay
Sometimes, large whales visit the Firth of Thames. You might spot southern right whales or Bryde's whales. These whales come into the bay to have their babies (calve) and to rest. For instance, in 2012, one of the first confirmed southern right whale births in New Zealand's main islands since whaling ended was seen near Browns Bay.
See also
In Spanish: Estuario de Thames para niños
