Eiao Island Nature Reserve
Encyclopedia
The 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
. The reserve was declared in 1992, as a first step in preserving whatever remains of the devastated ecosystem
, which has almost entirely been destroyed through over-grazing by feral
goat
s, sheep and swine.
The reserve is the primary nesting site of several endangered species
, several of which are endemic
, including the Eiao Polynesian Warbler
(Acrocephalus caffer aquilonis) and the Iphis Monarch
(Pomarea iphis).
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...
encompassing the whole of the island
Island
An 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...
of Eiao
Eiao
Eiao 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...
in the northern 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...
, as well as several surrounding rocks
Islet
An 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....
. The reserve was declared in 1992, as a first step in preserving whatever remains of the devastated ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
, which has almost entirely been destroyed through over-grazing by feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, sheep and swine.
The reserve is the primary nesting site of several endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, several of which are endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
, including the Eiao Polynesian Warbler
Eiao Polynesian Warbler
The Eiao Polynesian Warbler is a subspecies of the Polynesian Warbler found only in the dry upland forest on Eiao in the northern Marquesas Islands....
(Acrocephalus caffer aquilonis) and the Iphis Monarch
Iphis Monarch
The Iphis Monarch is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, and plantations.-References:* BirdLife...
(Pomarea iphis).
See also
- French PolynesiaFrench PolynesiaFrench 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...
- Marquesan Nature ReservesMarquesan Nature ReservesThe Marquesan Nature Reserves are a network of small nature reserves 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...