Lord Howe Island
February 5th 2007 12:07
Lord Howe Island
Situated about halfway between Norfolk Island and N.S.W., Lord Howe Island is a unique sub-tropical island.
The island was discovered shortly after the settlement of Australia by Lord Howe, who was en route to Norfolk Island from Botany Bay. Prior to 1788 it had never been inhabited and may never have been seen by human eyes. As a result, it features a high number of endemic species for such a tiny island, including half of it's plant-life, and a species of mushroom that glows.
A permanent settlement wasn't established until 1834, but goats and pigs had been left on the island prior to this to establish local livestock, leading to the eventual extinction of several species.
An airstrip was built on the island in the 70s, and tourism and plant exports are it's main sources of trade. In 1982 the island was granted a world heritage listing.
Capitol: The island is far too small to have a capital or proper township.
Language(s): English
Area: 14.6 square kms
Currency: Australian dollar.
Population: 350 permanent residents. Up to 400 tourists allowed on the island at any one time.
Government: Dependency of the Australian state of New South Wales. There is an administrator on the island.
Settlements: Most of the residents houses are situated around Stevens Reserve at the northern end of the island.
Lord Howe Island Woodhen
Wildlife: Around 30 different species of birds live and breed on the island. There are also geckos and skinks, as well as a forest bat also found on the mainland. The Red-Fronted Parakeet, now only found on New Zealand, was once native to the island before it's eradication at the hands of the settlers.
Wildlife (introduced): There are domestic cattle on the island, as well as feral sheep, pigs, rats and mice. Feral goats were recently cleared from the islands, and efforts are being made to control and eradicate the pigs. Masked Owls were also introduced to the island to help control the mice population, unfortunately the Masked Owl may account for the disappearances of at least two native species on the island.
Wildlife (endemic): One of the last surviving unique species on Lord Howe Island is the Lord Howe Island Woodhen, a flightless bird of which there are 200 left. The Lord Howe Island Stick Insect was thought to have died out in the 1930s, but a small population was recently found on a single bush. The Lord Howe Island Swamphen, a larger purple-ish coloured bird similar to the Woodhen, died out shortly after human settlement. Other unique species known to have disappeared from the island include the Lord Howe Island Boobook Owl and the White-Throated Pigeon. Remains of a endemic native bat species have also been found, presumed extinct.
Lord Howe Island Stick Insect
Images from Wikipedia.org
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