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Jules's Photoblog
The Franz Josef Glacier (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori) is located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres above sea level, into the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.
The glacier area is one of the main tourist attractions of the West Coast, with around 250,000 visitors a year. Guided and unguided walks up to and onto the glacier are possible however since April 2012 all glacier walks now require a helicopter flight past the unstable terminal face.
Based on past variations, scientists expect that Franz Josef Glacier will retreat 5 km and lose 38% of its mass by 2100 in the mid-range scenario of global warming.
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