Google. What should have been pristine sandy beaches are littered with trash—fishing nets and floats, water bottles, helmets, and large, rectangular pieces of plastic. Content on this website is for information only. Henderson Island, a speck of land deep in the southern Pacific Ocean, is part of the Pitcairn Island chain, and a day’s sea crossing from the nearest civilisation. It has been uninhabited since around … (2020, November 16). Risk of Advanced Cancers: Evolution to Blame? Our next destination were the Pitcairn Islands, which include Ducie Atoll, Henderson Island, Oeno Atoll and, of course, the famous Pitcairn Island! Sadly, the whole place was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1988. Residents were dependent on supply ships from nearby Pitcairn Island, which can. These birds are known only from illustrations primarily by William Wade Ellis, an artist and Surgeon's Mate on Captain James Cook's third expedition, who probably saw the birds alive in the 1770s. Henderson is a little island in Wilson, whose creation was aided during the break of a 30’ cofferdam on the Ohio River. Henderson Island is an associate unpopulated island within the Pacific Ocean. Canterbury Museum Visiting Researcher Dr Graham Wragg collected the bones from caves and overhangs on Henderson Island in 1991 and 1992 during the Sir Peter Scott Commemorative Expedition to the Pitcairn Islands. Along with a post office, a few buildings remain of old Henderson along Brighton Road north of 120th Avenue. After over a week at sea, we are met with enormous waves at this remote island: the southernmost atoll in the world. They are unlike other sandpipers in that they are restricted to islands of the Pacific and do not migrate," says Dr De Pietri. Our first stop was Ducie Atoll, which is about 1100 nm away from Rapa Nui. Henderson Island is the largest island in the Pitcairn Group, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. Henderson Island is a speck of land deep in the southern Pacific Ocean, part of the Pitcairn Island chain. Henderson Island (Google Maps). "It's possible these humans brought with them the Polynesian rat, which Polynesian sandpiper populations are very vulnerable to.". Now there's only one, and its numbers are declining, so we need to ensure we look after the remaining populations.". The remote island of Henderson—a tiny dot in the South Pacific Ocean—lies approximately halfway between New Zealand and Chile. It is one of four islands that make up the Pitcairn Group. With Pitcairn, Oeno, and Ducie islands it forms the Pitcairn island. It is in fact an uninhabited island, one of the most remote in the world, and only visited every few years. . ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the. Henderson island fossils reveal new Polynesian sandpiper species. Planning a trip to the South Pacific Islands? The information in this Pitcairn Island travel guide is based on my experiences and on extensive research. The giant plastic soup called the ocean, of course. It is uninhabited and remains in remarkably pristine condition due to its very remote location, 5,000 km from the nearest major land mass. Jennifer Lavers, a scientist at the University of Tasmania who lead the research, have traced the source of the debris on Henderson Island to 24 different countries from every continent. Materials provided by Canterbury Museum. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Henderson Island lies on the outskirts of the Southern Pacific Gyre, a large rotating ocean current circling between Australia and South America, bounded by the Equator. Henderson Island is the largest island in the Pitcairn Group, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. The diagram for Henderson Island shows the days per month, during which the wind reaches a certain speed. Henderson Island is an uninhabited uplifted coral island in the south Pacific Ocean, annexed to the Pitcairn Islands colony in 1902. The climate is subtropical with an adequate rainfall, and the soil is fertile. Have any problems using the site? Photo credit: Jennifer Lavers, Trash on Henderson Island. Start planning for Henderson Island. It probably adapted to the habitats available on Henderson Island, which are different to those on other islands where Polynesian sandpipers were found. Island is a top of a reef-capped extinct volcano, rising 3.5 km from the depth of Pacific. Henderson Island Expedition: Beach-clean project. There is, however, another report, from the Religious Tract Society in 1830, that the Essex crew had found eight skeletons (as versus six). Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Henderson Island is an uninhabited, remote coral atoll in the Pitcairn Islands, located between New Zealand and Chile. Wind speed units can be changed in the preferences (top right). Lonely island. {{posts[0].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[1].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[2].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[3].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, The Camouflaged Military Bunkers of Switzerland, Sunomata Castle: The Castle That Was Built on a Single Night. Henderson Island. Canterbury Museum. Pitcairn is the only inhabited island in the group. 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Henderson Island, a South Pacific island that has never been inhabited, is what a researcher calls "one of the most pristine islands left in the world," per Popular Science . If these estimates are correct, Henderson Island might have the highest densities of plastic pollution reported anywhere in the world. A similar phenomenon occurs in the Northern hemisphere, where plastic from around the North Pacific Ocean gets washed onto Hawaii’s Kamilo beach. Thirty years ago it was designated a Unesco World Heritage site, one of the best remaining examples of an elevated coral atoll ecosystem. Planet Nine-Like Exoplanet Around Distant Star, Rapid Genomics Strategy to Trace Coronavirus, New Superhighway System in the Solar System, Sifting Out the First Gravitational Waves, Neanderthals Buried Their Dead: New Evidence, Spiders in Space: Making Webs Without Gravity, Science of Sandcastles Is Clarified, Finally. I was fortunate enough to spend about a full day on the island as part of an expedition-style cruise from Tahiti to Easter Island. Henderson Island, that lies within the jap Pacific, is one in every of the few atolls at intervals the world whose ecology has been much untouched through somebody’s presence. Location and Values: Henderson Island is a raised coral atoll in the middle of the South Pacific, the largest of four islands that make up the Pitcairn group. "We think Prosobonia sauli probably went extinct soon after humans arrived on Henderson Island, which archaeologists estimate happened no earlier than the eleventh century," says Dr De Pietri. Henderson has the ZIP Code 80640. Henderson, formerly known as Henderson Island, is an unincorporated community and a U.S. Post Office in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Dr Paul Scofield, Canterbury Museum Senior Curator Natural History and one of the study's co-authors, says Henderson Island is home to a number of unique species, a handful of which are landbirds like the Henderson Sandpiper. Ascension Island is a tiny dot of green in the tropical mid-Atlantic, a volcanic outpost of empire where it's hot and cold at the same time. Every square meter of Henderson’s beaches has between 20 and 670 pieces of plastic on the surface and between 50 and 4,500 pieces buried in the topmost 10 centimeters. The gyre's rotational pattern draws in trash from across the South Pacific Ocean and far-off continents and deposits them on Henderson’s shore. Create a Trip to save and organise all of your travel ideas, and see them on a map. Henderson Island lies on the outskirts of the Southern Pacific Gyre, a large rotating ocean current circling between Australia and South America, bounded by the Equator. Dr De Pietri says the study shows the need to protect the one remaining Polynesian sandpiper species, the Tuamotu Sandpiper. It has been uninhabited since around the fifteenth century and was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1988. Henderson Island is the largest island in the Pitcairn Group, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. "Henderson island fossils reveal new Polynesian sandpiper species." All but one of the species, the endangered Tuamotu Sandpiper (Prosobonia parvirostris), are extinct. Floating Mill Island in Mammoth Cave. Once plastic lands on the island, irradiation from the sun’s UV rays makes the plastic brittle and they break apart into hundreds or even thousands of pieces, some of which are less than 2 millimeters across. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Henderson Island is the largest island in the Pitcairn Group, in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. This research was supported by a grant from the Marsden Fund Council, managed by the Royal Society Te Ap?rangi, as well as the R S Allan Fund managed by Canterbury Museum. Researchers estimate there are some 38 million pieces of plastic, weighing 18,000 kg in total, scattered around the island’s waterfront. The UNESCO’s website still describes the island as “one of the few atolls in the world whose ecology has been practically untouched by human presence.”, A purple hermit crab on Henderson Island. Pitcairn Island and Henderson Island were both first settled centuries ago by Polynesians who left some archaeological evidence of their presence. David Antis. All Rights Reserved. By the 15th century, however, these original inhabitants had all died out or moved on to other islands, and the Pitcairn Islands were vacant. 2. The newly-described bird is formally named Prosobonia sauli after Cook Islands-based ornithologist and conservationist Edward K Saul. It is about as far away from anywhere and anyone on Earth. Get a round-up of all our stories published during the past week delivered to your email every Saturday. As the island is raised higher above the sea and very remote, it contains unique species of animals and plants. Henderson Island lies in the South Pacific, halfway between New Zealand and Chile. In June, a team of scientists, artists, journalists and film makers will collaborate with the Pitcairn Island community on a return expedition to Henderson Island, with work undertaken to analyse the impact of the pollution on the island … A small island smack in the middle of the South Pacific has never been inhabited by people — and yet, its white sand beaches are home to more than 37 million pieces of junk. Having visited over 30 islands in Polynesia, making it to Pitcairn Island was probably my toughest achievement. "We know that just a few centuries ago there were at least five Polynesian sandpiper species scattered around the Pacific. Questions? It is a perfect escape from the city. Henderson Island consists of limestone – it is elevated coralline island (makatea). Henderson Island is a Unesco World Heritage site and one of the best remaining examples of an elevated coral atoll ecosystem. They become buried in the sand and became a permanent part of the island. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. The island is part of the Pitcairn archipelago, a UK Overseas Territory that consists of just four islands, of which only Pitcairn is inhabited. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201116184438.htm (accessed December 11, 2020).