Motunau / Plate Island

For the island off the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand, see Motunau Island.

Motunau / Plate Island
Motunau / Plate Island is located in New Zealand
Motunau / Plate Island
Motunau / Plate Island
Location of Motunau / Plate Island in New Zealand
EtymologyFrom Māori: Motu (island) and nau (Lepidium oleraceum).[1] Plate Island has unclear origins.
Geography
LocationBay of Plenty
Coordinates37°39′43″S 176°33′36″E / 37.662°S 176.560°E / -37.662; 176.560
Area0.038 km2 (0.015 sq mi)[2]
Length390 m (1280 ft)
Width200 m (700 ft)
Administration
RegionBay of Plenty

Motunau / Plate Island is a small island in the Bay of Plenty, roughly 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) off New Zealand's North Island at Okurei Point and a similar distance east-south-east from the much larger Mōtītī Island. The island is split into northern and southern portions by a small channel as narrow as 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) across, with several small sea stacks surrounding the two main parts of the island.[3] Like many of the other islands in the Bay of Plenty, Motunau is volcanic in origin and lacks any permanent fresh water source, and as a result has not seen permanent settlement by humans.[4]

The lack of human interaction with the island or introduced predators has led to Motunau becoming home to a range of native animal species, including a population of tuatara, as well as a breeding colony of kekeno (New Zealand fur seals) and several seabirds. As a result of this, the island was legally protected as a wildlife sanctuary in 1969,[5] and in 2021 the surrounding ocean was designated a Marine Protection Area.[6]

  1. ^ "Place name detail: Motunau / Plate Island". New Zealand Gazetteer. New Zealand Geographic Board. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Annex 4 – Sensitive Areas and Coastal Information" (PDF). boprc.govt.nz. Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  3. ^ Taylor, Graeme A. (1991). "Flora and Fauna of Plate (Motunau) Island, Bay of Plenty" (PDF). thebookshelf.auckland.ac.nz. Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  4. ^ Campbell, D. J.; Atkinson, I. A. E. (December 1999). "Effects of kiore ( Rattus exulans Peale) on recruitment of indigenous coastal trees on northern offshore islands of New Zealand". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 29 (4): 265–290. doi:10.1080/03014223.1999.9517597. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Wildlife Sanctuary (Motunau Island) Order 1969". legislation.govt.nz. Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Fishing, diving and spearfishing to be banned in Mōtītī Protection Area". RNZ. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2023.