Takutea facts for kids
Takutea is a small island in the Cook Islands. No one lives there permanently. It is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) northwest of Atiu. Takutea is managed as part of Atiu, which is the closest island. All the people of Atiu own Takutea together. It does not belong to just one village or area of Atiu.
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Geography of Takutea
Takutea is shaped like an oval. It is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) long and 0.75 miles (1.2 kilometers) wide. The island is made entirely of sand. Its highest point is only about 6 meters (20 feet) above the sea. A narrow coral reef surrounds the island.
History of Takutea
People have never lived on Takutea all the time. Its first name was Areuna. Later, an explorer named Mariri renamed it Taka-ku-tea. This means "my white ku" because he caught a white ku (a type of squirrelfish) there. The island was also known as Enua-iti, which means "Small Island".
People from Atiu often visited Takutea. They would gather seabirds and coconuts. They saw the island as their tribal land. In 1777, Captain James Cook saw the island. Some of his crew went ashore. They found some huts but no signs of people living there for good.
In June 1889, Commander Nicolls of H.M.S. “Cormorant” said the island was under British protection. This meant Britain would look after it. In 1902, a chief named Ngamaru Rongotini Ariki tried to give the island to Edward VII of Britain. But this gift was canceled in 1938. It turned out Rongotini did not have the right to give it away.
Around 1905, 60% of the island was cleared. Workers planted coconut palms there to make copra. Copra is dried coconut meat used to make oil. Workers from Atiu visited to take care of the plantation. In 1950, the Land Court of the Cook Islands chose seven people to be trustees. These trustees would manage the island for all the people of Atiu.
Fewer people visited Takutea after 1963. New laws made it harder to travel between islands in traditional boats. Since then, Takutea has been managed as a special place for wildlife. In 2004, an episode of the TV show Survivorman was filmed on Takutea Island.
Ecology and Wildlife
Takutea is a very important place for seabirds to have their babies. The island is managed as a wildlife sanctuary.
Plants of Takutea
In the early 1900s, many plants on Takutea were changed to grow coconuts for copra. Since then, the plants have been left alone to grow back naturally. Near the coast, you can find plants like Scaevola sericea, Heliotropium arboreum, and Pandanus tectorius.
Further inside the island, there is a forest. This forest has native trees like Pisonia grandis and Guettarda speciosa. There are also many coconut trees. Smaller plants like Tacca leontopetaloides and Asplenium australasicum grow underneath the trees. In the northwest part of the island, some Pacific Ironwood trees were planted in the 1960s. These trees help block the wind.
Animals of Takutea
Takutea is a key breeding spot for many seabirds. You can find red-tailed tropicbirds and red-footed boobies nesting here. Other birds that nest on the island include the great frigatebird, brown booby, brown noddy, black noddy, and white tern. The island is also home to coconut crabs.
Because it is so important for seabirds, the trustees of Takutea manage it as a wildlife sanctuary. They have made rules to protect the birds. For example, it is against the rules to kill birds or take the red tail feathers from tropicbirds. No plants or animals can be taken from the island or its surrounding waters without the trustees' permission. BirdLife International has also named Takutea and its nearby waters an Important Bird Area (IBA). This means it is a globally important place for birds.
See also
In Spanish: Takutea para niños
