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Macquarie Island
last update: May 07, 2009 01:43 PM
Australia
On 11 July 1810, Frederick Hasselborough discovered Macquarie Island, naming it after Lachlan Macquarie (the Governor of New South Wales). The island lies about halfway between Tasmania and the Antarctic continent, and is about 128 sq km in size. Its highest point is Mt Hamilton, which rises up to 433 m. In 1999, the ocean around Macquarie became an Australian Marine Park. Like almost every other sub-Antarctic island, Macquarie Island has no trees. However, it is the only island made only of rocks from deep within the earth's mantle and oceanic crust - 600,000 years ago it emerged from the sea and continues to rise at the rate of 0.8 mm each year (that's why earth quakes occur often on the island).
Rats, mice, cats and rabbits (left behind by sealers) continue to destroy the island's wildlife today. In 1978, the myxoma virus was introduced to the island, and it reduced the rabbit population by 93%.
The cats, however, have been much more difficult to get rid of - the Australian government has spent AUS$ 9000 per cat to rid the island of its remaining 100 cats, which was achieved in 2001. Since then, rabbit numbers have exploded, and 100,000 of the introduced pests are laying the landscape bare.
In April 2009, the Australian Government has decided on measures to rid the island once and for all of its rabbits, mice and rats.
Currently the island has a large population of Elephant, New Zealand, Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic seals. There are also many Royal, Gentoo, King and Rockhopper penguins and several species of albatrosses.
