Goat Island (Hawaii)

Goat Island, also known as Mokuʻauia, is a flat islet consisting of lithified dunes in Laie Bay on the northeast shore of Oahu, Hawaii.^[1][2][3] The islet is separated from Malaekahana State Recreation Area by a 720 feet (220 m) channel of limestone reef shelf 1 metre (3.3 ft) underwater.^[4][5][6]

Goat Island

Native name: Mokuʻauia
Aerial view of Goat Island
Geography
Location	Oahu, Hawaii
Coordinates	21.6618985°N 157.9244453°W / 21.6618985; -157.9244453
Area	13 acres (5.3 ha)
Highest elevation	15 ft (4.6 m)
Administration
United States

The islet is 13 acres (0.053 km²) in area with a maximum elevation of 15 feet (4.6 m).^[3]

The islet is a Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary.^[3]

Wildlife and conservation efforts

Goat Island is home to 16 native plant species, including the federally endangered Sesbania tomentosa.^[4] It is a nesting ground for wedge-tailed shearwaters.

The islet contains invasive species, including black rats, fire ants, and big headed ants.^[1][4][7] Black rats were first documented on the islet in 1967 with multiple eradication attempts in the 1990s and 2000s.^[4] The elimination of the rats resulted in increased wedge-tailed shearwater reproduction.^[4]

The dunes of the islet are a designated State Seabird Sanctuary, but its three beaches remain accessible to the public and attract many people annually.^[4][8]

References

1. "Predator Control and Eradication". Pacific Rim Conservation. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
2. Kahawainui Stream, Island of Oahu, Harbors and Rivers in Hawaii, Environmental Impact Statement. 1983. p. 200.
3. "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding on Five Petitions To List Seven Species of Hawaiian Yellow-faced Bees as Endangered" (PDF). Federal Register. 76 (172). Department of the Interior. 2011-09-06. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
4. Marie, Amarisa; VanderWerf, Eric A.; Young, Lindsay C.; Smith, David G.; Eijzenga, Jakob; Lohr, Michael T. (2014-05-14). "Response of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) to Eradication of Black Rats (Rattus rattus) from Mokuʻauia Island after Reinvasion". Pacific Science. 68 (8).
5. Andrew Doughty (15 January 2015). Oahu Revealed: The Ultimate Guide To Honolulu, Waikiki & Beyond. Wizard Publications, Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-9838887-9-6.
6. Richard McMahon (January 2003). Adventuring in Hawai'i. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 237–. ISBN 978-0-8248-2693-2.
7. "Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference, Part II: Islet Restoration in Hawaiʻi, Marianas". Retrieved 2017-04-30.
8. Sharon Hamblin (1 February 2011). Oahu's North Shore. Hunter Publishing, Inc. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-58843-996-3.