Anchor Island facts for kids
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Pukenui (Māori)
Nickname: Kakapo Island
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 Anchor Island
Location in New Zealand
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| Geography | |
| Location | Dusky Sound |
| Coordinates | 45°45′30″S 166°31′0″E / 45.75833°S 166.51667°E |
| Area | 11.37 km2 (4.39 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 417 m (1,368 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Anchor Island, also known as Pukenui in the Māori language, is a special island in Dusky Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage says that "Pukenui" means "large hill."
This island is part of the amazing Fiordland National Park. It is famous for being a safe home for some of New Zealand's rarest birds.
Contents
Anchor Island: A Special Home for Rare Birds
Where is Anchor Island Located?
Anchor Island is found in the beautiful area of Dusky Sound. This sound is in Fiordland, a region known for its stunning natural beauty. The island is southwest of a much bigger island called Resolution Island. Many smaller islands surround Anchor Island. It also has four small lakes. Lake Kirirua is the largest lake on any island in Fiordland.
A Safe Place for Endangered Birds
Since 2005, Anchor Island has become a very important sanctuary. A sanctuary is a safe place where animals can live and grow without danger. This island is one of the few places where the critically endangered kakapo lives. The kakapo is a unique type of parrot that is active at night. It is also known as the night parrot.
Before 2005, some animals that were not native to the island caused problems. These included Red deer and stoats. Stoats are small, fast animals that hunt birds. Between 2001 and 2005, these animals were carefully removed from the island. This made Anchor Island safe for native birds again.
After the island was cleared, several endangered native birds were brought there. These birds include:
- The tieke (saddleback)
- The mohua (yellowhead)
- The kakapo
- The New Zealand rock wren
Anchor Island is one of only nine islands in the area that are completely free of these harmful introduced animals. It is also about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) away from the New Zealand mainland. This distance helps keep the island safe from stoats and deer coming back.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Anchor para niños
