- The Snares
The Snares (also known as "Tini Heke" and, unofficially, as Snares Islands) is a small island group at coord|48|01|S|166|32|E| approximately 200 kilometres south of
New Zealand 'sSouth Island . The Snares consist of the main island North East Island and the smaller Broughton Island as well as the somewhat isolated Western Chain Islands approx 5 km to the WSW. As a group of islands, the Snares cover a total of approximately 3.5 km².The island group was discovered on 23. November
1791 independently by the two ships HMS Discovery under CaptainGeorge Vancouver and HMS "Chatham" commanded by Lt.William R. Broughton both of theVancouver Expedition . Vancouver named "The Snares" because he considered the islands a shipping hazard, an islet east of the Western Chain bears the name Vancouver Rock, and the second largest island is named after Lt. Broughton. The islands were already known to theMāori , who called one of the larger islands "Te Taniwha" ("The sea-monster"). Unlike othersubantarctic islands that were greatly affected by thewhaling andsealing industry in the 19th century, The Snares remain one of the last pristine areas in New Zealand.The islands are home of endemic bird species such as the
Snares Penguin ("Eudyptes robustus") and the Snares Island Snipe ("Coenocorypha aucklandica heugli") as well as several endemic invertebrates. North East Island is forested and is the world's premier breeding area for theSooty Shearwater ("Puffinus griseus") with up to 3 million individuals being present during the breeding season (November-April). A dangerous reef (Seal Reef) lies ten kilometres to the south of the group. Megaherb communities grow on the islands.The Islands enjoy a status of high protection and are rated as 'minimum impact islands'. Landing on the island is generally prohibited or by special research permit only.
The area is among one of five sub-Antarctic island groups designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. [ [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/877/multiple=1&unique_number=1029 New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands - UNESCO World Heritage Centre ] ] together with the other sub-antarctic New Zealand islands in the region as follows: 877-001 The Snares New Zealand S48.02 E166.35 341 Ha 1998
References
External links
* [http://www.terranature.org/penguinSnaresCrested.htm TerraNature - Snares crested penguin and island images]
* [http://www.notornis.org.nz/free_issues/Notornis_48-2001/Notornis_48_1_1.pdf Birds Of the Snares Islands - New Zealand]
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