137:
150:
20:
129:
532:
Monuriki since 2011. In recent years conservationists have scrambled to save these beautiful creatures, scientifically named
Brachylophus vitiensis, after it emerged that goats and rats were the biggest threat to their ongoing survival on their picturesque island haven. Although the iguanas have bred on the island for centuries, the emergence of predators and others competing with the same resources on Monuriki has made its future survival difficult.
585:
327:. Dry forests are always vulnerable to forest fires, and human intervention. The original vegetation of the coast has been cleared for farming, particularly cattle ranching. There are remains of a coconut plantation. Only two percent of natural dry forest remaining, and it is located in isolated patches, none of which are in protected areas. Dry forests are elected for urban areas, farms and farming communities all along the coast.
551:
was the first westerner to sight this group of 20 islands, when Bligh's open-boat journey made the first passage by
Europeans through the Fiji Islands. However, the Yasawas remained largely ignored by the wider world until the United States used them for communication outposts during World War II. On
515:
are their favorite spot: it covers the barren atolls. The tree is grown and propagated from shoots that form spontaneously in the axils of lower leaves. Its fruit can float and spread to other islands without help from man. The fruit is an edible drupe. They grow wild mainly in seminatural vegetation
264:
and exotic species can also quickly alter natural communities. Restoration of the forests is possible but challenging, particularly if degradation has been intense and persistent. Degrading dry broadleaf forests often leave thorny shrublands, thickets, or dry grasslands in their place. Tropical dry
81:
The people of Yanuya are the custodians of
Monuriki. With the agreement of the Mataqali Navunaivi of Yank village the National Trust of Fiji wild-life experts and other representatives from BirdLife International and Nature Fiji, NTF, with colleagues from the non-government organization BirdLife
531:
With the agreement of the
Mataqali Navunaivi of Yanua village, the National Trust of Fiji wild-life experts and other representatives from BirdLife International and Nature Fiji, NTF, with colleagues from the non-government organization BirdLife International, have been restoring the habitat on
237:
habitats, which are one of the most threatened vegetation types in the
Pacific. The species was once known to live on 14 islands in the western part of Fiji; however, recent surveys between 2002 and 2004 have only confirmed the species to be living on three islands: Yadua Tabu, Monuriki, and
115:
Monuriki has a length of 1.15 kilometres (0.71 mi) and a width of 600 metres (660 yd). The island is mountainous, reaching a maximum height of 178 metres (584 ft) in the south-east. The land area is approximately 0.4 square kilometres (100 acres) surrounded on all sides 360° by
238:
Macuata. Yadua Tabu holds the highest proportion of the species, containing approximately 98% of all individuals, an estimated 6,000 animals. The Yadua Tabu iguanas are the only legally protected population, as Yadua Tabu is a
National Trust of Fiji reserve and lacks the
173:) and associated species of coastal forests. The low vegetation has been eroded in the past by herds of goats up on the rocks, decreasing the availability of food to the indigenous iguana population. There is a captive breeding program for iguanas, being run at
338:(raised fossilized coralline limestone terraces). It occurs on the margins of mangroves and swamps, as an understory tree in the plantation of coconut and forest, either planted or naturalized. Associated species of native habitat include creepers such as
300:
and is consistently warm for the majority of the year, with extreme weather being a rarity. The warm season is from
November till April, and the cooler season May to October. Temperatures in the cool season average 22 °C (72 °F).
196:, live. These iguanas feed on a wide range of plants and insects, and spend most of their time camouflaged in the branches of trees. Only a few thousand Fiji crested iguanas live on the three tiny islands of western
73:
Monuriki is of volcanic origin, with a length of 1.15 kilometres (0.71 mi) and a width of 600 metres (660 yd). The land area is approximately 0.4 square kilometres (100 acres) surrounded on all sides by
304:
The level of rainfall varies, although the warmer season experiences heavier rainfall, especially inland. Winds are moderate, though cyclones occur about once a year, or between ten and twelve times a decade.
229:. The director filmed part of the movie on a remote island, and included shots of the native wildlife to enhance the feel of the movie, including a large colorful iguanid. Gibbons, who had been studying the
556:, which encloses Monuriki, is named "Bligh Water". Bligh Water, together with the Koro Sea, are situated in the middle of the map of Fiji and more or less separate the north of the country from the south.
156:
is strictly pelagic outside the breeding season, and this, together with its remote breeding sites, makes the bird a rare sight on land. Usually, the species is seen only in the headlands during severe
323:, the plant life of the coast is quite varied, including a number of endemic species. The coast is traditionally home to a number of endangered animals, including terrestrial and marine birds. See
178:
516:
in littoral habitats throughout the tropical and subtropical
Pacific, where it can withstand drought, strong winds, and salt spray. Cocos nucifera was probably aided in many cases by
695:
881:
470:
552:
his way to Kupang, Captain Bligh and his crew became the first
Europeans to visit several islands in the Fijian island group, which is why the sea area north of
78:. The highest point is 178 metres (584 ft). The terrain includes volcanic rocks, lagoons, palm trees, a pine forest, and several small white sand beaches.
952:
700:
308:
The island group of
Monuriki is a number of tiny rocky islets in rocky basalt and with several rocky islets, consisting broken cliffs and hills, coasts and
346:
735:
494:
319:
The group of islets has a drier climate and different habitat from the rain forests that cover most of the Fiji islands. Although not as rich as the
334:, and is a component of strandline and coastal vegetation, including grassy or swampy woodlands, secondary forests, and scrub thickets developed on
293:
253:
759:
634:
683:
The people of Yanuya are the custodians of nearby Monuriki, made famous as the island that Tom Hanks filmed the movie Castaway in 2000.
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1116:
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people. Coconut fruit in the wild is light, buoyant and highly water resistant, and evolved to disperse significant distances via
878:
731:
The decline of the endemic Fijian crested iguana Brachylophus vitiensis in the Yasawa and Mamanuca archipelagos, western Fiji
901:
1431:
661:
856:. Fiji: University of the South Pacific Division of Biology — School of Biological, Chemical and Environmental Sciences.
182:
1392:
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912:
982:
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942:
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120:. The terrain includes volcanic rocks, lagoons, palm trees, a pine forest, and several small white beaches.
99:; some tourists and travel agents refer to Monuriki as 'Cast Away Island', which is not to be confused with
225:
245:
which have destroyed the lizard's habitat on other islands. Monuriki is also a breeding ground for some
857:
233:
at the time, travelled to Monuriki and identified it as a distinct species. The species only lives in
1441:
274:
1215:
153:
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569:. As the sole survivor of a plane crash, he is forced to survive on an island like a modern-day
136:
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island is the smallest islet and the southernmost of a small group of three islets, west of
54:
islands, and related to a group of three islets in the larger group of islands known as the
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While all pandanus is distributed in the tropical Pacific islands, low islands of the
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The uninhabited island was used as the filming location for the 2000 film
316:
coves, surrounded by a coral reef and lagoon, and its white sand beaches.
1335:
1309:
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128:
765:. Pacific Invasive Initiative. September 2010. p. 2. Archived from
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1252:
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based. Many of his forest associations overlap modern ideas of dry and
246:
234:
201:
117:
82:
International, have been restoring the habitat on Monuriki since 2011.
75:
1257:
1111:
899:
The Coconut Odyssey – the bounteous possibilities of the tree of life
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35:
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63:
627:"Spy - NZ's home of celebrity news, entertainment and lifestyle"
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Castaway, he says, is the jewel in the crown of Fijian tourism.
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31:
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59:
51:
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573:. Since the film, Monuriki has become a tourist attraction.
1181:
1076:
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242:
197:
39:
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Monuriki is one of the few places on which the endangered
85:
Monuriki was featured as the anonymous island in the 2000
910:
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
817:
688:
356:. Other coastal thickets and forest associates include
107:, an actual Fijian island within the Mamanuca Islands.
696:"Castaway Island Fiji Celebrates 50th Memory tomorrow"
524:. It has been collected from the sea as far north as
277:
suggests that areas which were formerly classified as
655:
653:
651:
580:
648:
1423:
847:
659:
281:forest also fit the criteria for dry forests.
254:tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
252:The forests in smaller, offshore, islands are
1223:
1045:
930:All about the "coconut palm" (Cocos nucifera)
975:"Fiji Villa Accommodation - Viti Levu, Fiji"
813:
811:
809:
223:, was invited to the screening of the movie
1230:
1216:
1052:
1038:
879:Fiji Government Online Portal: Our Country
843:
841:
839:
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288:, description of forest associations was
161:The vegetation consists mainly of higher
148:
135:
127:
18:
621:
619:
1424:
836:
215:was first featured in a film when Dr.
1211:
1033:
1014:from the original on February 9, 2019
891:
1059:
860:from the original on 15 October 2008
822:. Neptune, NJ: T.F.H. Publications.
616:
1237:
943:"Fiji: Paradise gets helping hands"
183:Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
13:
179:National Trust of the Fiji Islands
123:
14:
1453:
955:from the original on July 1, 2018
818:Robert George Sprackland (1992).
296:forests. The climate in Fiji is
583:
498:. Peat swamp associates include
996:
985:from the original on 2019-08-21
967:
935:
922:
637:from the original on 2019-08-21
221:University of the South Pacific
16:Islet in Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
872:
784:
752:
722:
1:
660:Ernest Heatley (2015-05-24).
609:
704:. 2016-11-17. Archived from
110:
7:
1432:Uninhabited islands of Fiji
576:
10:
1458:
888:. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
850:"REPORT ON IGUANA SEMINAR"
760:"The News. September 2010"
547:on 28 April 1789, Captain
535:
330:Pandanus is common in the
273:forests. A recent work by
50:. Monuriki is part of the
34:situated off the coast of
1323:
1302:
1266:
1245:
1082:Kadavulailai (aka Bounty)
1067:
848:Aruna Chand Lata (2002).
747:10.1017/S0030605307001639
928:Ferguson, John. (1898).
919:. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
733:. in: Oryx, 41(1), 44–50
729:Peter S. Harlow et al.:
181:(NTF) and funded by the
30:is a small, uninhabited
662:"Home free on Monuriki"
431:Hernandia nymphaeifolia
395:Casuarina equisetifolia
948:The New Zealand Herald
793:Brachylophus vitiensis
471:Schleinitzia insularum
453:Podocarpus neriifolius
389:Calophyllum inophyllum
213:Brachylophus vitiensis
194:Brachylophus vitiensis
158:
146:
133:
24:
951:. September 4, 2016.
897:Foale, Mike. (2003).
483:Terminalia littoralis
377:Barringtonia asiatica
371:Tournefortia argentea
365:Amaroria soulameoides
325:List of birds of Fiji
265:forests include both
154:Wilson's storm-petrel
152:
139:
131:
22:
1303:Significant outliers
504:and various sedges.
419:Excoecaria agallocha
383:Bruguiera gymnorhiza
1408:17.610°S 177.0343°E
1404: /
1267:Other major islands
501:Sphagnum cuspidatum
407:Chrysobalanus icaco
190:Fiji crested iguana
143:Fiji crested iguana
132:Fiji crested iguana
48:South Pacific Ocean
915:2009-03-18 at the
904:2011-03-30 at the
884:2010-03-23 at the
799:2011-09-21 at the
738:2012-03-14 at the
489:Thespesia populnea
477:Terminalia catappa
447:Morinda citrifolia
437:Hibiscus tiliaceus
425:Guettarda speciosa
341:Ipomoea pes-caprae
231:Fiji banded iguana
159:
147:
134:
25:
1413:-17.610; 177.0343
1384:
1383:
1341:Lomaiviti Islands
1246:Principal islands
1205:
1204:
459:Santalum insulare
415:Cordia subcordata
347:Canavalia sericea
312:and a few golden
1449:
1442:Mamanuca Islands
1419:
1418:
1416:
1415:
1414:
1409:
1405:
1402:
1401:
1400:
1397:
1366:Vanua Levu Group
1346:Mamanuca Islands
1232:
1225:
1218:
1209:
1208:
1157:South Sea Island
1061:Mamanuca Islands
1054:
1047:
1040:
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1024:
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1021:
1019:
1008:Lonelyplanet.com
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771:
764:
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719:
714:
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686:
685:
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679:
670:. Archived from
657:
646:
645:
643:
642:
623:
593:
588:
587:
495:Vitex trifoliata
465:Scaevola taccada
332:littoral habitat
290:physiognomically
56:Mamanuca Islands
23:Monuriki in 2015
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1371:Viti Levu Group
1319:
1298:
1262:
1241:
1239:Islands of Fiji
1236:
1206:
1201:
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1028:
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917:Wayback Machine
906:Wayback Machine
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886:Wayback Machine
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854:BSSP NEWSLETTER
846:
837:
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801:Wayback Machine
789:
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772:on 3 April 2012
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740:Wayback Machine
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604:List of islands
589:
582:
579:
571:Robinson Crusoe
538:
522:marine currents
401:Cerbera manghas
298:tropical marine
126:
124:Flora and fauna
113:
101:Castaway Island
87:Robert Zemeckis
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1356:Ringgold Isles
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932:(2nd edition).
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591:Islands portal
578:
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542:mutiny on HMS
540:Following the
537:
534:
411:Cocos nucifera
359:Acacia simplex
286:phytosociology
271:semi-deciduous
208:and Monuriki.
171:Cocos nucifera
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979:Bularangi.com
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829:0-86622-634-6
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821:
820:Giant lizards
814:
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795:
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791:IUCN RedList:
787:
768:
761:
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749:, hier S. 48.
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708:on 2017-04-18
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674:on 2017-04-18
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441:Intsia bijuga
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275:Howard Nelson
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258:deforestation
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1386:
1361:Rotuma Group
1331:Kadavu Group
1324:Archipelagos
1126:
1016:. Retrieved
1007:
998:
987:. Retrieved
978:
969:
957:. Retrieved
946:
937:
929:
924:
893:
874:
862:. Retrieved
853:
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1411: /
1399:177°02′03″E
1336:Lau Islands
1310:Conway Reef
1137:Nautanivono
1072:Beachcomber
1018:February 2,
565:, starring
262:overgrazing
247:sea turtles
226:Blue Lagoon
95:, starring
1426:Categories
1396:17°36′36″S
1253:Vanua Levu
1187:Vomolailai
1004:"Monuriki"
989:2019-08-21
959:August 21,
712:2017-04-18
678:2019-11-24
667:Fiji Times
641:2019-08-21
610:References
513:Micronesia
321:rainforest
235:dry forest
202:Yadua Tabu
118:coral reef
76:coral reef
1258:Viti Levu
1112:Matamanoa
864:6 October
803:(English)
631:NZ Herald
567:Tom Hanks
562:Cast Away
554:Viti Levu
518:seafaring
509:Polynesia
279:evergreen
267:deciduous
219:, of the
111:Geography
97:Tom Hanks
92:Cast Away
44:Melanesia
36:Viti Levu
1177:Treasure
1172:Tokoriki
1127:Monuriki
1092:Malamala
1012:Archived
983:Archived
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882:Archived
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577:See also
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701:The Jet
536:History
336:makatea
206:Macuata
177:by the
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157:storms.
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1132:Namotu
1097:Malolo
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350:, and
310:corals
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240:feral
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1020:2019
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866:2008
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