Goat Island (Hawaii)
Native name: Mokuʻauia | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Oahu, Hawaii |
Coordinates | 21°39′43″N 157°55′28″W / 21.6618985°N 157.9244453°W |
Area | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
Highest elevation | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
Administration | |
United States |
Goat Island, also known as Mokuʻauia, is a flat islet consisting of lithified dunes in Laie Bay on the northeast shore of Oahu, Hawaii.[1][2][3] The islet is separated from Malaekahana State Recreation Area by a 720 feet (220 m) channel of limestone reef shelf 1 metre (3.3 ft) underwater.[4][5][6]
The islet is 13 acres (0.053 km2) in area with a maximum elevation of 15 feet (4.6 m).[3]
The islet is a Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary.[3]
Wildlife and conservation efforts
Goat Island is home to 16 native plant species, including the federally endangered Sesbania tomentosa.[4] It is a breeding ground for thousands of wedge-tailed shearwaters.
The islet contains invasive species, including black rats, fire ants, and big headed ants.[1][4][7] Black rats were first documented on the islet in 1967 with multiple eradication attempts in the 1990s and 2000s.[4] The elimination of the rats resulted in increased wedge-tailed shearwater reproduction.[4]
The dunes of the islet are a designated State Seabird Sanctuary, but its three beaches remain accessible to the public and attract many people annually.[4][8]
References
- ^ a b "Predator Control and Eradication". Pacific Rim Conservation. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Kahawainui Stream, Island of Oahu, Harbors and Rivers in Hawaii, Environmental Impact Statement. 1983. p. 200.
- ^ a b c "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on Five Petitions To List Seven Species of Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bees as Endangered" (PDF). Federal Register. 76 (172). Department of the Interior. 2011-09-06. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ a b c d e f Marie, Amarisa; VanderWerf, Eric A.; Young, Lindsay C.; Smith, David G.; Eijzenga, Jakob; Lohr, Michael T. (2014-05-14). "Response of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) to Eradication of Black Rats (Rattus rattus) from Mokuʻauia Island after Reinvasion". Pacific Science. 68 (8).
- ^ Andrew Doughty (15 January 2015). Oahu Revealed: The Ultimate Guide To Honolulu, Waikiki & Beyond. Wizard Publications, Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-9838887-9-6.
- ^ Richard McMahon (January 2003). Adventuring in Hawai'i. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 237–. ISBN 978-0-8248-2693-2.
- ^ "Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference, Part II: Islet Restoration in Hawaiʻi, Marianas". Retrieved 2017-04-30.
- ^ Sharon Hamblin (1 February 2011). Oahu's North Shore. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-58843-996-3.