About 95 percent of New Zealand's natural wetland ecosystems have been destroyed and "a significant number" of native freshwater fish species are under threat of extinction, a New Zealand biologist said Thursday.

University of Canterbury Associate Professor Jon Harding said water abstraction from some river systems for irrigation exceeded the total amount of water in the river.

"These issues are of particular concern when we consider the unique flora and fauna habit in our freshwaters," Harding said in a statement.

"Despite our dependence on this vital resource, we frequently take it for granted and heavily pollute and abuse it," he said.

"Many of our lowland streams, rivers and lakes are not clean. One of our largest lowland rivers, the Manawatu River, was recently described as one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Lake Ellesmere, or Te Waihora, is the largest lowland lake in New Zealand and it has been described as dead."

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