Marquesan Nature Reserves
Encyclopedia
The Marquesan Nature Reserves are a network of small nature reserve
s in the Marquesas Islands
. The reserves were declared by the government of French Polynesia
in 1992, as a first step toward preserving the native flora and fauna of some of the smaller islands of the group.
The reserve system presently consists of four units:
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s in the Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
. The reserves were declared by the government of French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
in 1992, as a first step toward preserving the native flora and fauna of some of the smaller islands of the group.
The reserve system presently consists of four units:
- Eiao Island Nature ReserveEiao Island Nature ReserveThe Eiao Nature Reserve is a nature reserve encompassing the whole of the island of Eiao in the northern Marquesas Islands, as well as several surrounding rocks...
, encompassing EiaoEiaoEiao is the largest of the extreme northwestern Marquesas Islands. The island was discovered in 1791 by the American navigator Joseph Ingraham, who named it Knox Island in honor of the then-current United States Secretary of War, Henry Knox...
and its surrounding rocksIsletAn islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....
(8.002°N 140.703°W) - Hatutu Nature ReserveHatutu Nature ReserveThe Hatutu Nature Reserve is a nature reserve encompassing the whole of the island of Hatutu in the northern Marquesas Islands. The reserve was declared in 1992, and is the primary nesting site of several endangered species, several of which are endemic, including the Long-billed or Hatutaa...
, including the island of HatutuHatutuHatutu is a small island approximately 3 km northeast of Eiao in the northern Marquesas Islands....
and its surrounding rocks (7.918°N 140.572°W) - Motane Nature ReserveMotane Nature ReserveThe Motane One Reserve is a nature reserve containing the whole of the islands of Moho Tani and Terihi, as well as the surrounding rocks, in the southern Marquesas Islands. It was declared in 1992, as the first step toward protecting the ecosystem, much of which, on Moho Tani, has been destroyed by...
, including the islands of Moho TaniMoho TaniMohotani is an uninhabited island southeast of Hiva Oa and east of Tahuata in the southern Marquesas Islands. It has an area of 15 km². Much of the island's sparse vegetation has been destroyed by feral goats and sheep, to the extent that following its rare rains, the sea around it is stained...
and TerihiTerihiTerihi is a small, uninhabited, rocky island in the Marquesas Islands, approximately 800 m south-southeast from Mohotani.In 1992, the island became officially protected by its inclusion in the Motane Nature Reserve....
, as well as a few surrounding rocks (9.986°N 138.829°W) - Motu One ReserveMotu One ReserveThe Motu One Reserve is a nature reserve encompassing the whole of the island and reef system of Motu One in the northern Marquesas Islands. The reserve was declared in 1992, and is the site of a large seabird rookery as well as a nesting ground for sea turtles.-See also:*French...
, covering the coralCoralCorals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
reefReefIn nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
and sandy islandIslandAn island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
network of Motu One (7.868°N 140.378°W)