Keywords:south east, rangatira, island, chatham, islands, reserve, conservation, wilderness, sanctuary
Photo Info
Dimensions7087 x 4724
Original file size5.49 MB
Image typeJPEG
Color spaceAdobe RGB (1998)
Shooting Conditions
Camera makeNikon
Camera modelNikon COOLSCAN V ED
Muellinbeckia fields
Looking across thick muellinbeckia fields below Top Bush on South East Island/Rangatira. The third largest island in the Chatham Islands chain, it covers an area of 218 hectares, rising to 224m high above the western cliffs. It is located 800 kilometres east of New Zealand off the southeast coast of Pitt Island.
Ancient Moriori used to travel to Rangatira to capture muttonbirds. European farmers then ran sheep, goats and cattle on Rangatira until the 1960s when the last of these were removed. Rangatira is now a gazetted nature reserve and has been described as one of the world's premier bird islands. It now accommodates the biggest population of the critically-endangered black robin, and another outstanding feature, the millions of storm petrels, sooty shearwaters and broad-billed prions that roost and breed in the forests.