Английская Википедия:Hen and Chicken Islands
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox islands
The Hen and Chicken Islands (usually known collectively as the Hen and Chickens) lie to the east of the North Auckland Peninsula off the coast of northern New Zealand. They lie Шаблон:Convert east of Bream Head and Шаблон:Convert south-east of WhangāreiШаблон:R with a total area of Шаблон:Convert.[1]
History
Approximately 18,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels, the islands were hilly features surrounded by a vast coastal plain. Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, after which the islands separated from the rest of New Zealand.[2]
These islands were given their European name by Captain James Cook, who first sighted them on 25 November 1769.Шаблон:R It has been suggested that the name was inspired by an old name for the star cluster usually known as the Pleiades.Шаблон:Citation needed
Originally owned by the Māori Ngā Puhi iwi, they were sold to the New Zealand Government in 1883.Шаблон:R The islands were made a scenic reserve in 1908 owing to the rarity of their flora and fauna, and became a wildlife refuge in 1953. Hen Island had actually passed from Māori hands a few years earlier, being bought by Thomas Outhwaite in 1872.Шаблон:R It was bequeathed to the nation by his daughter Isa Outhwaite in 1927, and it too was named as a scenic reserve.Шаблон:RШаблон:R
In June 1940, the Canadian-Australasian ship Шаблон:Ship sank off the islands after hitting a mine.Шаблон:R Most of the cargo, which included gold bullion, was later salvaged.
Environment
The islands are noted for their bird life with colonies of seabirds as well as forest birds which have become scarce or extinct on the mainland. The islands have been identified as an Important Bird Area, by BirdLife International because they are home to a breeding population of about 500 pairs of Pycroft's petrels.Шаблон:RШаблон:R There are also native reptiles on the islands, including tuatara, geckos and skinks.
The islands
Hen Island, or Шаблон:Lang-mi, lies Шаблон:Convert to the southwest from the rest of the archipelago. It is also considerably larger than the Chicken Islands, or Шаблон:Lang, which comprise a chain of six small islands running north-west to south-east to the north of Hen Island. The chain consists of Шаблон:Lang and Шаблон:Lang Islands (together called North West Chicken), Шаблон:Lang (West Chicken), Lady Alice Island or Шаблон:Lang (Big Chicken), Шаблон:Lang (Middle Chicken), and Coppermine Island (Eastern Chicken).
Taranga (Hen) Island
Шаблон:Lang is the largest island by some considerable margin, totalling Шаблон:Convert. Long and thin, it has a length of Шаблон:Convert and an average width of less than Шаблон:Convert. A remnant of a four-million-year-old volcano, the island is dominated by a rocky ridge reaching to about Шаблон:Convert at its highest point, called The Pinnacles. Sail Rock, a stack, rises from the ocean Шаблон:Convert to the south of Hen Island,Шаблон:R and is a prominent navigational point for yachts.Шаблон:R
By the late 1800s, Hen Island was the only place in New Zealand with a surviving population of North Island saddleback. The once common species of forest bird found in the North Island, was nearly wiped out by the human introduction of mammalian predators, such as rats and stoats. In the 1960s translocations of saddleback from Hen Island to other island sanctuaries around New Zealand began.Шаблон:RШаблон:R
Wareware and Muriwhenua
Two small rocky islands with a combined area of Шаблон:Convert.
Mauitaha
This Шаблон:Convert, rugged, scrub-covered rock lies Шаблон:Convert to the south of Muriwhenua. It rises to Шаблон:Convert.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation and the Ngati Wai iwi have entered into partnership to set up a sanctuary for the Polynesian rat, or kiore, on the islands Mauitaha and Araara. A spokesman for Ngati Wai said the kiore heritage will be protected as the movement of the kiore through the Pacific paralleled the migration of the New Zealand Maori. A spokesman for the Department of Conservation said the department's policy change from eradication would assist scientific research.
Lady Alice Island
Named after Lady Alice Fergusson (wife of Governor General Sir Charles Fergusson), it is the largest of the five Chickens and is of particular significance because of its flora and fauna. The island covers Шаблон:Convert and is surrounded by rocky reefs. It was occupied by Māori until the 1820s, and was used as a base for fishermen in the 1890s. Cattle were introduced at about this time, but were removed in the 1920s.
Whatupuke
Formerly known as Whakahau this island is composed of a large eastern section and a peninsula to the southwest. The coast of the peninsula forms one of the chain's main land features, a Шаблон:Convert wide bay (Starfish Bay). The island covers Шаблон:Convert, and is steep, rising to Шаблон:Convert.
Coppermine Island
Coppermine island formerly known as Mauipane covers an area of Шаблон:Convert. It is composed of two sections joined by a short isthmus. As the name suggests, there are copper deposits on the island, but attempts at mining them in 1849 and 1898 proved unprofitable.
Gallery
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Hen and Chicken Islands from Department of Conservation Campsite, Uretiti, New Zealand.
See also
References
External links
- Страницы с неработающими файловыми ссылками
- Английская Википедия
- Whangarei District
- Important Bird Areas of New Zealand
- Protected areas of the Northland Region
- Islands of the Northland Region
- Страницы, где используется шаблон "Навигационная таблица/Телепорт"
- Страницы с телепортом
- Википедия
- Статья из Википедии
- Статья из Английской Википедии
