Laysan

Laysan (Hawaiian: KAuO ) is a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, which geographically belongs politically to the island chain of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. state of Hawaii.

Geography

The Laysan Island is located approximately in the geographic center of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and 215 km from the neighboring island of Lisianski in the west and 375 km from the Gardner Pinnacles to the southeast. Laysan has an area of ​​4.114 km ² and a height up to 12 m. It is thus after the Midway Islands (6.2 km ²), the second largest island in the chain. Inside the sandy island located, 2.4 m above sea level, a central lagoon, the salinity is about three times higher than that of the ocean. Surrounded Laysan is of a comparatively small coral reef.

Like all the Hawaiian Islands is also Laysan volcanic origin.

History

The island was - from a European perspective - discovered on March 12, 1828 by the Russian captain Stanikowitch and named by him after his ship Moller. Maybe Laysan but was visited earlier by Polynesian navigators. In 1857, the island of the Hawaiian King Kamehameha IV was put in possession.

1890 Laysan was leased to the mining of guano to the North Pacific Phosphate and Fertilizer Company. Especially in the period 1892 to 1904 this was intensively mined and also inhabited the island at this time. The most famous inhabitants Laysans at that time was the German -born Max Schlemmer, who was also referred to as the "King of Laysan ." He obtained in 1896 the rights of the North Pacific Phosphate and Fertilizer Company and sold it in turn to Genkichi Yamanouchi from Tokyo with the promise to be able to "All" to export from the island. The Japanese therefore led not only guano but especially bird feathers. Once famous for its bird life, led the hunt the birds, collecting their eggs, and in particular the entrained by Max Schlemmer rabbit to drastic decline in bird populations. For this reason, all the islands were declared in the northwest of Hawaii except Midway on 3 February 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation. In 2006 the entire island chain was then Marine National Monument proclaimed Papahānaumokuākea.

Wildlife ( fauna)

Among the Hawaiian Islands particularly Laysan for its bird life is known. There was once on Laysan five endemic bird species, due to the intense exploitation of the island in the past three species have become extinct: The Laysan Warbler (Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris), the Laysan Rail ( Porzana palmeri ) and the Laysan Apapane ( Himatione sanguinea freethi ). The last three individuals of Apapane fell in 1923 in a storm, while researchers at the Tanager expedition were staying on the island. Two endemic birds survived, however, are endangered: the Laysanente (Anas laysanensis ) and the Laysan Finch ( Telespiza cantans ). After the island is also named the comparatively frequent Laysan Albatross ( Phoebastria immutabilis ).

Laysanente with chicks

Laysangimpel

Frigate on Laysan

In addition, the island is a retreat, among other things for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi ) or the green turtle (Chelonia mydas).

In the island of coral reef 28 species occur in stony corals ( Scleractinia ) and there is home to several types surgeonfish ( Acanthuridae ).