Being one of the less explored places, the Franz Josef Glacier is considered a gem of the glaciers located on west coast of New Zealand. Situated in the middle of a temperate forest it descends from a height of about 11,500 feet to 787 feet above sea level. This makes it the only alpine glacier that terminates at the lowest altitude in the world. These glaciers have been sinking since 2000 and on an average has shortened by 38% and lost 25% of its land area. According to environmentalists, it would simply disappear in the next 100 years.