Disappointment Island facts for kids
A photo taken of the island in 1909.
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Position of the Auckland Islands relative to New Zealand and other outlying islands
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| Geography | |
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| Coordinates | 50°36.25′S 165°58.38′E / 50.60417°S 165.97300°E |
| Archipelago | Auckland Islands |
| Area | 3.0 km2 (1.2 sq mi) |
| Length | 3.35 km (2.082 mi) |
| Width | 1.53 km (0.951 mi) |
| Demographics | |
| Pop. density | 0 /km2 (0 /sq mi) |
Disappointment Island is one of seven islands in the Auckland Islands group, located in New Zealand. No one lives on this island. It is about 475 kilometers (295 miles) south of New Zealand's main South Island. The island is also about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the northwest tip of Auckland Island.
This special island is home to a huge group of white-capped albatrosses. About 65,000 pairs of these large seabirds build their nests here. This is almost the entire world's population of white-capped albatrosses! You can also find the Auckland rail on the island. This bird only lives in the Auckland Islands. People once thought it was gone forever, but it was found again in 1966.
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What Happened on Disappointment Island?
On March 7, 1907, a large ship called the Dundonald sank near Disappointment Island. This ship had four masts and was made of steel. It crashed onto the west side of the island. Sadly, twelve men on board drowned. However, seventeen men managed to get to shore.
How Did the Survivors Live?
Two of the men who made it to shore later died. This left fifteen survivors who had to wait seven months for help. They ate mostly white-capped albatrosses, seals, and roots from a plant called Azorella polaris. Later, they found supplies at a special castaway depot on Auckland Island.
The Rescue Mission
In November 1907, a scientific group visited the island on a ship called the Hinemoa. The crew of the Hinemoa rescued the Dundonald survivors from Auckland Island.
Why Is It Called Disappointment Island?
A British sailor named Abraham Bristow gave the island its name. He was the first European to reach the Auckland Islands. In 1807, he was on a ship called the Sarah. He tried to find fur seals on Disappointment Island. He also wanted to find a good spot to reach other fur seal areas nearby. But he didn't have any luck, so he named it "Disappointment Island."
Why Is This Island Important for Birds?
Disappointment Island is part of the Auckland Island group. This group is known as an Important Bird Area (IBA). BirdLife International has given it this special title. This means the islands are very important places for many kinds of seabirds to have their babies.
Special Birds of the Island
Some of the important birds that breed here include the white-capped mollymawk and the white-chinned petrel. You can also find birds that live only in the Auckland Islands, such as the Auckland shag, Auckland teal, Auckland rail, and Auckland snipe.
Images for kids
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A photo taken of the island in 1909.
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Position of the Auckland Islands relative to New Zealand and other outlying islands
See also
In Spanish: Isla Disappointment para niños
