About Franz Josef Glacier: Franz Josef flows down toward green rainforest, which is very unusual for a glacier. It sits in the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island. Its Māori name means 'the tears of Hine Hukatere,' from a local legend. It is one of the few glaciers on Earth that nearly reaches rainforest

Location: Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand · Length: About 12 km (7.5 mi) long · Type: A steep, fast-moving valley glacier · Country: New Zealand · Formation: Fed by heavy snowfall high in the Southern Alps · Notable Feature: Descends to an unusually low, warm, green area near the coast · Nearby: Flows toward temperate rainforest, a rare sight for a glacier · World Rank: One of the most accessible glaciers in the world