Opihi River facts for kids
The Opihi River is a cool river in the South Island of New Zealand. It flows through a part of Canterbury called south Canterbury. This river is super important because it's a special home for breeding colonies of the black-billed gull, which is an endangered bird. That's why BirdLife International has named it an Important Bird Area.
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About the Opihi River
The Opihi River flows for about 75 kilometers (that's about 47 miles) towards the south-east. It eventually reaches the Pacific Ocean about 10 kilometers (or 6 miles) north of a town called Timaru. You can also find the town of Fairlie right on the banks of this river.
A Look Back in Time
The area around the Opihi River has some interesting history!
Early Flight
Some people believe that the first time a person flew in a machine heavier than air happened near the Opihi River. This was on March 31, 1903, around a settlement called Waitohi. A clever inventor named Richard Pearse is said to have flown his homemade machine several months before the famous Wright Brothers made their flight.
Fishy Friends
In the 1900s, a type of fish called Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was brought to the Opihi River from California. These salmon are still living in the river today!
Protecting the River
In the year 2000, a group called Environment Canterbury approved a special plan for the Opihi River. This plan is all about managing the river's resources in a way that is sustainable. This means they want to make sure the river stays healthy and useful for a long, long time, for both people and nature.
Images for kids
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The Opihi River with the Two Thumb mountain range in the background.
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The Opihi River flowing near Fairlie, New Zealand.
