Traveling down the west side of Arthur's Pass, we stop for a look at the new viaduct through the Otira Gorge, built 20 years ago to replace a tortuous road along the clifftops. We have our first wildlife encounter there: it's the kea, the only parrot in the world that lives in alpine elevations. They are an endangered species, and it is partly their own fault. They are attracted to humans and try to filch bits of food, which of course encourages humans to feed them, which does them no good. The population is being closely monitored, and we note the ID bands on their legs.
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