Forty-Fours Explained

Forty-Fours
Local Name:Motchuhar (Moriori)
Maori: Motuhara (Māori
)
Coordinates:-43.9622°N -175.8336°W
Archipelago:Chatham Islands
Country:New Zealand

The Forty-Fours are a group of islands in the Chatham Archipelago, about 50km (30miles) east of the main Chatham Island. They are called Motchuhar in Moriori and Maori: Motuhara in Māori.[1] The group includes the easternmost point of New Zealand, whose South Island is located about 800km (500miles) to the west.

Scientists on the 1954 Chatham Islands expedition visited the islands recording prolific bird life including albatrosses and mollymawks.[2]

The region is one of only two breeding sites for the Chatham fulmar prion.[1] It has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International due to it also supporting colonies of Buller's and northern royal albatrosses.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Government of New Zealand, Dept. of Conservation (1999) Chatham Islands Conservation Management Strategy . Accessed on 2012-07-13.
  2. News: 24 March 1954 . Expedition to the Chathams . 28 July 2024 . Press . 10 . Papers Past.
  3. Web site: Chatham Islands (The Forty-Fours) . 2012-11-18 . BirdLife data zone: Important Bird Areas . BirdLife International . 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070710124603/http://www.birdlife.org/ . 2007-07-10 .