Aurora Cave is a limestone cave, part of the Te Ana-au Caves in Fiordland, in the South Island of New Zealand on the western side of a deep glacial trough containing Lake Te Anau. Aurora Cave is separated by a sump from Te Ana-au Cave (a tourist cave). The cave has been formed by the Tunnel Burn, which drains from Lake Orbell in the Takahe valley.[1] Aurora Cave is 267 metres deep and 6 km. long.[2][3] Around 1988, a subfossil of an extinct species of frog were discovered. It was named the Aurora frog (Leiopelma auroraensis).

References

  1. ↑ Paul W. Williams, "A 230 ka record of glacial and interglacial events from Aurora Cave, Fiordland, New Zealand", New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 1996, Vol. 39: 225-241. online Archived February 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Deepest caves in New Zealand Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Caving areas in New Zealand Archived 2007-10-16 at the Wayback Machine

45°17′43.07″S 167°41′52.39″E / 45.2952972°S 167.6978861°E / -45.2952972; 167.6978861

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