Chalky Island (New Zealand) facts for kids
Chalky Island from the west
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 Chalky Island
Location in Fiordland
Chalky Island
Location in New Zealand
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Fiordland |
| Coordinates | 46°03′S 166°31′E / 46.050°S 166.517°E |
| Area | 5.14 km2 (1.98 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 151 m (495 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Chalky Island is a special island located in the southwest of New Zealand. It's also known by its Māori name, Te Kākahu-o-Tamatea. This beautiful island is part of the amazing Fiordland National Park.
Chalky Island sits at the entrance to Taiari / Chalky Inlet. It's near Rakituma / Preservation Inlet, right at the bottom tip of the South Island. The island is about 10 kilometers northwest of Puysegur Point. It's also about 140 kilometers west of Invercargill.
Chalky Island is a very important place for wildlife. It's one of the "predator-free" islands in New Zealand. This means it's part of a big project called the Fiordland Islands restoration programme. The main goal of this project is to get rid of harmful pests. Then, they can move native New Zealand animals to the island to keep them safe.
A Special Place for Wildlife
The Māori people knew Chalky Island as te kākahu-o-Tamatea. This name means "the cloak of Tamatea." An old story says that the explorer Tamatea dried his cloak here. He had gotten very wet from the sea.
The island was first mapped by Captain James Cook in 1773. Later, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, it was a base for seal hunters.
In 1999, something amazing happened on Chalky Island. It became the first island near the coast where stoats were completely removed. Stoats are a type of weasel that hunt native birds. Now, Chalky Island has no mammal predators. This makes it a safe bird sanctuary.
Many rare and endangered birds have been moved to Chalky Island. These include the tieke (saddleback) and mōhua (yellowhead). You can also find the little spotted kiwi and the orange-fronted kākāriki here. A special kind of lizard, the Te Kakahu skink, lives only on this island. Sometimes, you might even see dolphins, orcas (killer whales), and southern right whales swimming in the bay.
The Kākāpō Story
Chalky Island is very important for the kākāpō. The kākāpō is the only flightless native parrot in the world. It is also critically endangered, meaning it's very close to disappearing forever.
Until 2005, Chalky Island was one of only four safe places for kākāpō. It is still a refuge for these special birds.
In 2003, the last five kākāpō from Maud Island were moved to Chalky Island. This group included four male kākāpō and one female. These kākāpō stayed on Chalky Island for three years. This gave the Department of Conservation time to remove stoats from nearby Anchor Island.
In July 2004, eight female kākāpō were moved from Chalky Island. They went to Codfish Island / Whenua Hou. Then, from June to September 2005, all kākāpō on Chalky Island and Pearl Island were moved to Anchor Island. This happened after Anchor Island was made safe from stoats.
Male kākāpō were brought back to Chalky Island in 2010. This was done by the Kākāpō Recovery Team. Later, in May 2020, female kākāpō were also introduced. They joined the 16 males already living there. Chalky Island continues to play a key role in helping the kākāpō survive and thrive.
