Fox Glacier, Glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand
Fox Glacier extends 13 kilometers from the Southern Alps, descending 2600 meters before terminating near rainforest at 300 meters above sea level.
German geologist Julius von Haast named the glacier Albert in 1865, but it changed to Fox Glacier in 1872 after Premier Sir William Fox.
Maori name Te Moeka o Tuawe refers to an ancient tale of Tuawe, who perished in an avalanche while climbing with his partner Hine Hukatere.
Access to the glacier requires helicopter transportation since March 2019 when flooding and landslides permanently damaged the main access road.
The glacier receives ice from four alpine sources, creating a dynamic flow that advanced between 1985 and 2009 against the global retreat trend.
Location: Westland District
Location: West Coast Region
GPS coordinates: -43.50200,170.08100
Latest update: May 27, 2025 06:50
Glaciers represent some of the most remarkable natural formations on Earth. These ice masses form over centuries through the compression of snow and move slowly through valleys and across mountain slopes. They shape landscapes from the Patagonian Andes to Arctic regions and store approximately 70 percent of the world's freshwater. The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina covers 250 square kilometers and ranks among the few glaciers currently not retreating. The Jostedalsbreen in Norway forms the largest ice mass on mainland Europe at 487 square kilometers. The Vatnajökull in Iceland covers eight percent of the country's land area and conceals several active volcanoes beneath its ice cap. These glaciers serve science as climate archives and demonstrate through their changes the effects of rising temperatures. Many glaciers worldwide continuously lose mass, which has consequences for water supply and sea levels.
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