A fire in an internationally recognised Southland wetland has done significant damage to the birdlife in the area, say environmentalists.
The fire, in the conservation wetland near the mouth of the Mataura River, was under control by Wednesday afternoon, but is expected to continue burning for many days.
It destroyed more than 480 hectares of vegetation, including 200ha of native bush.
A farmer at nearby Lake Waituna, Ray Waghorn, says the fire was huge and the biggest in the area for a decade.
Mr Waghorn says the fire would have opened up the area to alpine plants but would have killed many fernbirds and bittern that were too young to escape.
He says it is a pity the fire did not happen in autumn when the birds would have been old enough to escape from the flames.
The Department of Conservation says the alpine plants are rarely found at sea level.
