Pigeon Island / Wāwāhi Waka facts for kids
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Native name:
Wāwāhi Waka
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Aerial graphic of Pigeon Island
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| Geography | |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 1.7 km2 (0.66 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
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New Zealand
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| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Pigeon Island (also called Wāwāhi Waka) is a special island in New Zealand. It is found at the top end of Lake Wakatipu, close to the town of Glenorchy. The island is 170 hectares in size. This makes it the biggest island in the whole lake.
Back in 1884, during the time of Queen Victoria, the island was given as a gift. It became a protected area for the people of the Queenstown-Lakes District. This meant everyone could visit and enjoy its natural beauty.
Pigeon Island has many walking paths. These paths make it easy to explore most parts of the island. You can walk around and see different areas.
The island's location near the lake creates a mild climate. This special weather helps certain plants grow. It is the only place in the Wakatipu area where Kahikatea trees grow naturally.
Animals and Plants on Pigeon Island
Pigeon Island is home to many native New Zealand birds. You might spot a tui with its shiny feathers. There are also wood pigeons, which are large and colorful.
Other birds include the sweet-singing bellbird. You can also find the tiny brown creeper and the bright yellow-crowned parakeet. In 2006, Buff weka birds were moved here from Stevensons Island. Now, you can often see them walking around.
Besides the tall kahikatea (white pine) trees, other native trees grow here. These include miro, matai, rata, and red beech. You might also see mistletoe plants growing on the trees.
Helping the Island Grow
A group called the Wakatipu Islands Reforestation Trust started in 1999. Their main goal is to plant native trees on the islands in Lake Wakatipu. They focus a lot of their work on Pigeon Island.
Many volunteers have traveled to the island to help. They plant trees like rimu, kahikatea, and beech. The trust wants to bring the islands back to their natural state. This means getting rid of animals that don't belong there, like stoats and rats.
They also want to bring back native birds and insects. Moving the buff weka birds to the island has been a big success.
Keeping the Island Safe
Fires have been a serious danger to Pigeon Island. Big parts of the island burned in 1996 and 2003. These fires often started from campfires lit by people.
Many large trees were destroyed by these fires. This included red beech and kahikatea trees. It has made it harder for the island's plants to grow back. You can still see the burnt remains of tree trunks in many places.
In 2009, someone used a chainsaw to cut parts of a rata tree. It is against the rules to take anything from the island. Taking things can harm its status as a protected area. Later that year, it was found that two men had caused the damage.
