South Rennell Island

South Rennell Island is a small, uninhabited island in the Indian Ocean, lying around 320 kilometers southeast of Reunion. It is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and claimed by Madagascar. The island is a breeding ground for seabirds, such as the African guillemot and the brown booby, as well as for seals. It is also an important site for marine mammals, including fur seals and elephant seals.

History

South Rennell Island was first sighted on February 2, 1643 by the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon. The island was named after René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who claimed it for France in 1742. From 1892 to 1893, an unsuccessful French attempt to establish a colony on the island resulted in the deaths of seventeen people. In 1942–1943, during World War II, the island served as a base for Allied forces attempting to disrupt Japanese supplies lines across Polynesia . After the island was captured, it became a strategic air base for Allied military operations during World War II.

Since 1993, South Rennell has been classified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of its colony of brown boobies and rare breeding seabirds in addition to seals and penguins in rocky caves along the island’s coast. Situated at latitude 55°38′ S or longitude 56°50′ E, conservation efforts focus on preserving habitat for nesting birds on protected coastal areas (as opposed to general protection). The large population is unrestricted between February 15 and August 15 each year, a period considered critical for rarities that breed on the island , including the European eider, all three species of terns, and rare scops owls.

Climate

The island has a tropical rainforest climate, with daily temperatures averaging 27 °C. The annual rainfall averages 1,356 mm. The island’s landmass is a rare volcanic area with low relief, plateaus, and woodlands. The terrain consists of steep sandstone cliffs lined with ancient lava rock—the large orange-colored areas visible from the coastline.

These ledges have been covered by plant growth for tens of thousands of years, which now forms a dense jungle habitat including eucalyptus trees (a common ground cover in other similarly cratered islands) coconuts and pandanus palms that grow up to 8 m high . This robust vegetation has also protected this island from waves washing across its surface over eons, contributing to its alluvial soils .

Culture

South Rennell, despite its remote location, has been visited sporadically by both British and American military personnel since the island’s first recorded sighting in 1802. The island was formally claimed by the United States on November 25, 1898 as part of US Naval Reserve Base Guam. In 1907, a landing strip was constructed on the northern end of South Rennell as a stopover for Pan American World Airways flights to Australia; this use continued until 1948 when NAS Agana assumed responsibility for all NAWS operations in Micronesia .

Today, most visitors come to South R ennell in search of a few species that are found only on the island, including Nanomia eumelas (the island’s other two eagles), which was honored as Guam’s official state bird in 2001. The island is also home to Sisserou parrots and scores of rufous-winged hillbophers; these birds were once common on nearby islands before they were hunted nearly to extinction by German mercantilists who disregarded their value as food sources and live baits for hatchery fish .

Politics

South Rennell is a part of the Municipality of Piti. In the 2004 general election, Rennell H. Harmon was elected a member of the Guam Legislature for one term, falling seven votes short of being re-elected in 2009 . It is a part of the South Electorate, which also includes Isabela, Agana Heights and Anguar. Rennell H. Harmon was elected to represent this area following the 2009 general election in a special runoff vote on June 5th after no candidate received 50%+1’s [the top 2 spots] .

Government services

The island is inaccessible by road and only accessible by boat or aircraft. Most services are provided through the Piti Town Council .

Education

In addition to a public elementary school, South Rennell is home to the Micronesian University of Science and Technology (MUST). MUST was founded in 2007 as a private university with an exclusive focus on scholarships for students from the Federated States of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Marshall Islands and Kiribati.

Tourism

South Rennell is a popular tourist destination due to its natural beauty and the opportunity to see eagles, parrots, hillbores and other wildlife. The island also offers scenic walks and swimming along crystal clear streams. Because of the island’s limited size, the island is connected to Pinelocha by ferry and a few via foot (as well as on horseback). Most tours sail along the western coast in order to collect shells from Pacific Ocean beaches. South Rennell, along with nearby Canefield, was mentioned in author James Michener’s book Hawaii.

Conclusion

South Rennell Island is a small and uninhabited island located in the southern Indian Ocean. It is part of the Swain Group, which is a minor volcanic group located about 320 kilometres east of Diego Garcia. The island rises to a height of about 235 metres above sea level and covers an area of about 1.5 square kilometres.

FAQs

What Is The Climate Like On South Rennell Island?

The island has a desert-like climate, with very little rainfall. The mean temperature ranges from a cool 19°C in the winter to a warm 29°C in the summer. However, due to its elevation and latitude, temperatures can be quite mild or hot at different times of year depending on factors such as altitude and wind circulation.

What Are Some Of The Main Features Of South Rennell Island?

South Rennell Island contains several distinct habitats including coastal dunes, fringing reefs, sand veld, coastal wetlands, and woodland. Most of the island is covered in dense vegetation which makes up a dense orchid ground cover including “Bromeliaceae” species like “Orchis atkinsoni”. The island has about 30 endemic plant taxa with some (such as the dagger mangrove) present only on South Rennell Island; these are known collectively as “Rennellan flora”.

What Kinds Of Animals Can I Find?

The main mammals found on the island include Cape fur seals (“Callorhinus ursinus”), the endemic island hare (“Lepus mollis” banded phalanger), and the Mauritius kestrel. There are no native terrestrial reptiles, although there is a number of introduced species such as tortoises, very large geckos which are regularly fed by dingoes, lizards and snakes (the island was formerly used for snake farming). The only other vertebrate present on the island at any significant density is a population of common pied hornbills; one breeding pair has been recorded in 2008

Is This Visitor Site Fully Staffed?

The site is staffed, with a volunteer and a paid park ranger. The island’s vegetation is friendly to visitors and the site can be comfortably negotiated by wheelchair or on foot for most of the walk.

What Is The Island’s Ecological Significance?

South Rennell Island has a high conservation value, as it supports a wide range of endemic plant and animal species. The island has been designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports breeding populations of Cape fur seals, Mauritius kestrel, yellow-breasted hornbills and red-and-yellow stripping eiders.