Kapiti Island
Kapiti Iceland is an island that is located approximately 8 km off the west coast of the southern part of the North Island of New Zealand and from there is very clearly visible. It covers an area of 19.65 km ².
The Tasman Sea facing western side of the island has some extremely rocky crags and has up to 520 m altitude, which plunge into the sea. In the island region durchquerendem an original fracture line of the surface comes to the fore (as part of the same comb-line as in the range Tararua ).
The vegetation is dominated by scrub and forest of New Zealand plant Kohekohe, Tawa and Kanuka. The largest part of the forest has regenerated naturally after many years of slash and burn and farm economy has been operated. On some surfaces but also the original Busch has been preserved, with up to 30 m (100 foot ) high trees.
The island's name has been used since 1989 for the Kapiti Coast District, which includes amongst others the towns of Paraparaumu and Waikanae belong.
History
In 1700 and 1800 Māori settled on the island. Under the Māori tribal leaders Te Rauparaha here was a base, his tribe of Ngāti Toa drove their canoes for hunting trips up to the Whanganui River and south to the Marlborough Sounds.
Located near the island sea area was a breeding area for whales; during whale season up to 2,000 people were stationed on the island. Oil was extracted from the blubber of whales and this then shipped to America for use in Mechanical Engineering ( in front of the petroleum era ). Some whales can be observed still here today.
The worth preserving potential of the island has already been recognized in 1870, in 1897 the island was a bird sanctuary, but it took until 1987 until the Department of Conservation took over the supervision. In the 1980s and 1990s launched efforts to renature the island, the sheep were taken from the island and wiped out the possums. Then in 1998, the rats on the island were destroyed. A complete expulsion of an island of this size previously thought only possible with difficulty.
Great care is therefore taken today that no possums or rats get on one of the boats to the island. For tour groups therefore also a check on the bags is made to make sure that none of these robbers is brought knowingly or unknowingly to the island.
Current time
The island is covered entirely by the Reserve Kapiti Iceland Nature Reserve, bordering the Kapiti Marine Reserve. The largest share of this is in public ownership.
The island is home to a variety of native birds (most reintroduced ), including Südinseltakahe, kokako, New Zealand duck, semi bird tomtit, New Zealand Fantail, New Zealand morepork, Wekaralle ( a mixed style of North and Südinselunterarten ), yellow band honeyeater and Langbeinschnäpper.
The Southern Streifenkiwi or Tokoeka and the little Fleckenkiwi or Zwergkiwi were released on the island between 1890 and 1910, for the latter, the island is one of the last refuges. The extermination of rats has led to an increase in the red-crowned parakeets goats, the New Zealand Robins, the Bell Birds and the Saddleback. The island is now one of New Zealand's most important bird sanctuaries. A safe habitat was created in April 2005 here also for the population in her home in Tararuas endangered Short -tailed Bat.
Because of its proximity to Wellington, there are regular tourist trips to the island, which enjoy great popularity especially with bird watchers. These excursions are limited to 50 people per day, per year, maximum of 15,000 visitors enter the island. Furthermore, there is the opportunity to stay with a local family on the island and watch the small Fleckenkiwi during a guided night tour (see links below). The absence of natural predators means that New Zealand birds are very friendly here.