Tetepare Island
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Tetepare Island is the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, located at . It is a part of
Western Province Western Province or West Province may refer to: * Western Province, Cameroon *Western Province, Rwanda *Western Province (Kenya) *Western Province (Papua New Guinea) *Western Province (Solomon Islands) *Western Province, Sri Lanka *Western Provin ...
of the
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
. It covers approximately . Tetepare supports pristine lowland
rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...
and a rich inshore marine area. Tetepare Island is identified as an area with high biodiversity and conservation values. The meaning of the name is uncertain; it most probably means "wild pig" or "fighting boar" because the island was (and to some degree still is) famous for these animals among inhabitants of the region.Molia (2000), Read & Moseby (2006) The local residents were apparently once a distinct ethnic group; a
Tetepare language Tetepare is an extinct language of Tetepare Island. According to local oral history, the indigenous people of the now-uninhabited island of Tetepare spoke their own language, different from the other languages of the region. Classification Publ ...
and unique traditions are attested, but information is fragmentary. Like their neighbors on
Rendova Island Rendova is an island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea. Geography Rendova Island is a roughly rectangularly-shaped island, located in the South Pacific in the New Georgia Islands. The ...
and
New Georgia New Georgia, with an area of , is the largest of the islands in Western Province, Solomon Islands, and the 200th-largest island in the world. Geography New Georgia island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of ...
, they appear to have been swidden agriculturalist, and to have occasionally practiced
headhunting Headhunting is the practice of hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing the victim, although sometimes more portable body parts (such as ear, nose or scalp) are taken instead as trophies. Headhunting was practiced in h ...
. But the island was abandoned in the mid-19th century, with the locals dispersing to
New Georgia New Georgia, with an area of , is the largest of the islands in Western Province, Solomon Islands, and the 200th-largest island in the world. Geography New Georgia island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of ...
, Roviana Lagoon, Vona Vona Lagoon,
Nggatokae Nggatokae Island is an island in the New Georgia Islands within Western Province, Solomon Islands. It is served by Gatokae Aerodrome. The island is an extinct volcano, the highest peak is Mount Mariu (887 m.). The island has an area of 93&nb ...
and
Ranongga Ranongga is an island located in the New Georgia Islands group of Western Province, Solomon Islands. History Ranongga was sighted in 1787 by sailors Read and Dale. On August 18, 1959, a seismic sea wave was generated off the west coast of Ranong ...
.Molia (2000) At the western tip, a
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
plantation was established in 1907–1918, but this declined since
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and all maintenance ceased after 1990.
Secondary forest A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a timber harvest or clearing for agriculture, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. ...
is now reclaiming this area.


Ecology

The island has been recognized for its conservation significance and archaeological values. A total of 230 bird species, 24 reptile, four frog and 13 mammal species have been recorded on Tetepare including rare and endemic bird and bat species. Scientists are still discovering new species on Tetepare. In recent years, researchers discovered three new species of fish, one new fish genera and one potential new fish family in Tetepare's freshwater rivers. Three species of marine turtles, including the critically endangered
leatherback The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...
and
hawksbill The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...
and the endangered green, nest on Tetepare's volcanic black sand beaches. Sharks, dolphins, crocodiles and an extraordinary diversity of fish species make the island's reefs their home. The coral reefs of the region support one of the highest diversities of fish and coral in the world, second only to
Raja Ampat ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested fr ...
in Indonesia. The island sports a rich
herpetofauna Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and rept ...
, but
gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...
s are somewhat less diverse. It supports three species of sea turtles, namely green sea turtle,
leatherback sea turtle The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weight ...
, and
hawksbill sea turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is largel ...
. The latter two are considered critically endangered species, and the former two are known to nest on Tetepare. The
Solomon Islands skink The Solomon Islands skink (''Corucia zebrata''), also known as prehensile-tailed skink, monkey-tailed skink, giant skink, zebra skink, and monkey skink, is an arboreal species of skink endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago. It is the large ...
which occurs here is the largest living skink. The
mangrove monitor The mangrove monitor, mangrove goanna, or Western Pacific monitor lizard (''Varanus indicus'') is a member of the monitor lizard family with a large distribution from northern Australia and New Guinea to the Moluccas and Solomon Islands. It grows ...
and the pacific ground boa are also not rare here; these three
scleroglossa Scleroglossa is a group of lizards that includes geckos, autarchoglossans ( scincomorphs, anguimorphs, and varanoids), and amphisbaenians. Scleroglossa is supported by phylogenetic analyses that use morphological features (visible anatomical ...
n reptiles are becoming rare in the Solomon Islands. The highly unusual green green-blooded skink can be seen on the beaches. In late 2004, entomologist Charles DeRoller conducted the first survey of the lepidoptera occurring on Tetepare. The range of 43 previously identified
lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
was expanded to include Tetepare. Most butterfly species on Tetepare are common to the New Georgia and/or Shortlands groups of islands. However, a new subspecies of butterfly, '' argyronmpha rubianensis masolo'', was described. The birdwing butterfly (''Ornithoptera victoria'') was for the first time confirmed to exist on Tetepare, though the dead specimen was in such a state of decay that the specific subspecies could not be determined.
Bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
s are also plentiful, despite the presence of cats. Possibly the pigs and maybe the cats have
extirpate Local extinction, also known as extirpation, refers to a species (or other taxon) of plant or animal that ceases to exist in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinct ...
d certain ground birds, as indicated by the paucity of ''
Gallicolumba ''Gallicolumba'' is a mid-sized genus of ground-dwelling doves (family Columbidae) which occur in rainforests on the Philippines. Local name 'punay' which is a general term for pigeons and doves. They are not closely related to the American groun ...
''
dove Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...
s and
rail Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ( ...
s. The majestic
Sanford's sea-eagle Sanford's sea eagle (''Haliaeetus sanfordi''), also known as Sanford's fish eagle or the Solomon eagle, is a sea eagle endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago. Taxonomy Sanford's sea eagle was discovered by and named after Dr Leonard C. San ...
is plentiful, and among rarer birds, the beach thick-knee,
crested cuckoo-dove The crested cuckoo-dove (''Reinwardtoena crassirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tr ...
and
Kolombangara monarch The Kolombangara monarch (''Symposiachrus browni''), or Brown's monarch, is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is endemic to Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by ...
are found.
Nicobar pigeon The Nicobar pigeon (''Caloenas nicobarica'', Car: ') is a bird found on small islands and in coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, east through the Malay Archipelago, to the Solomons and Palau. It is the only living membe ...
s and island imperial-pigeons use Tetepare as a foraging ground, crossing over from their roosts in neighboring
mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...
swamps in huge numbers. The only known
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
taxon on Tetepare is the plentiful Tetepare white-eye (''Zosterops tetiparius tetiparius''), a
subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of the dark-eyed white-eye. Most
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
s on Tetepare are
bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...
s. Among these is Fardoulis' blossom-bat (only described in 1993) and a roundleaf bat that might be Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat (described in 1981) or a new
taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
. In addition, some
flying fox ''Pteropus'' (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names. They live in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Aust ...
es from Tetepare are hitherto unidentified; possibly the New Georgia monkey-faced bat ('' Pteralopex taki'') is one of them. The island supports a population of wild pigs, which are an important food resource for people from neighboring Rendova Island, particularly during
feasts A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival con ...
. Local hunters help to regulate the pig population through frequent hunting trips to the island. At least one feral
cat The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
is known to exist on the island, but other
invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...
like the
cane toad The cane toad (''Rhinella marina''), also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America, but which has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania ...
have not reached the island.Read & Moseby (2006) Land "ownership" among the Tetepare people was of a customary caretaker nature. Their descendants are still recognized as the traditional landowners or overseers of Tetepare Island, and the island continues to be a place of spiritual and traditional significance in the region. In 2002 the Tetepare Descendants' Association was founded to coordinate the maintenance of the equilibrium between the island
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
and the exploitation of its resources by the growing human population of the Western Province, as well as the preservation of Tetepare as the home of their ancestors. A low-tech field station and ecolodge for
ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...
has been built.


Tetepare Descendants' Association

In 1995 Friends of Tetepare was formed from a group of customary landowners to prevent commercial logging on the island. In 2002, the Friends of Tetepare and TOLOA (Tetepare Traditional Landowners Association) came together to form the Tetepare Descendants' Association (TDA). Their aim was to conserve Tetepare for the benefit of all descendants and future generations. More than 3000 descendants have since joined the TDA, making it one of the largest land-owning organisations in the Solomon Islands.Old Warden Uniforms Worn Again
and Spirits of an Uninhabited Island: Tetepare, South Pacific, By Mike and Jeanine D'Antonio, 26/05/2007, National Park Warden Association
The TDA is a registered Solomon Islands charitable organisation, with an office in the town of Munda, and a field station and ecolodge on Tetepare Island. The TDA has established a
Marine Protected Area Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conserv ...
on Tetepare, which is a no-take zone. This is one of the largest contiguous Marine Protected Areas in the Solomon Islands. TDA rangers, marine monitors, seagrass monitors and turtle monitors work on the island to patrol and protect the MPA and the forest, and to monitor the health of the island's reefs,
seagrass meadow A seagrass meadow or seagrass bed is an underwater ecosystem formed by seagrasses. Seagrasses are marine (saltwater) plants found in shallow coastal waters and in the brackish waters of estuaries. Seagrasses are flowering plants with stems and ...
s and forests, and to tag turtles and protect and relocate turtle nests during the nesting season from September to April. With funding and support from the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
, the TDA has created an ecolodge on Tetepare, which provides jobs for descendants from local villages and raises money to support the conservation program. The TDA also runs sustainable livelihoods programs for descendant communities and runs a scholarship program to help TDA members pay school fees for their children. The TDA has received support and funding from several international organisations and individuals including the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
,
World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wor ...
, Conservation International,
Australian Volunteers International Australian Volunteers International or AVI recruits skilled professionals from Australia to work with partner organisations in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Its work focuses on reducing poverty, promoting human rights and gender e ...
and NZ Aid.


See also

*
Desert island A desert island, deserted island, or uninhabited island, is an island, islet or atoll that is not permanently populated by humans. Uninhabited islands are often depicted in films or stories about shipwrecked people, and are also used as stereot ...
*
List of islands This is a list of the lists of islands in the world grouped by country, by continent, by body of water A body of water or waterbody (often spelled water body) is any significant accumulation of water on the surface of Earth or another plane ...


References

* (2000): ''The Great Exodus of Tetepare Islanders''. Report for
World Wide Fund for Nature The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wor ...
South Pacific Program
PDF fulltext
* (2006): Vertebrates of Tetepare Island, Solomon Islands. ''Pacific Science'' 60(1): 69–79. DOI: 10.2984/1534-6188(2006)60 9:VOTISI.0.CO;2HTML abstract
* (2011)

;Footnotes


Further reading

*Read, John; Moseby, Vertebrates of Tetepare Island, Solomon Islands 1. Katherine Pacific Science, Jan 2006, Vol.60(1), pp. 69–79 *Caldwell, Roy L, An Observation of Inking Behavior Protecting Adult Octopus bocki from Predation by Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Hatchlings. Pacific Science, 2005, Vol.59(1), pp. 69–72


External links

* - Tetepare - the last wild island
Exploring Solomons wiki - Tetepare page
{{Authority control Islands of the Solomon Islands Uninhabited islands of the Solomon Islands Western Province (Solomon Islands) Former populated places in Oceania