Facts
European sealers and whalers travelled the waves to trade on Kapiti and were soon followed by shore whalers who operated from both Kapiti Island and the adjacent mainland. Later farmers took their cattle across the channel to Kapiti. However, the "moat" between the island and the mainland has always helped protect Kapiti's natural treasures from the more devastating effects of introduced mammals.
Today, Kapiti Island, Waikanae Estuary and the marine reserve in between create a very rare continuum of protected land, sea and estuary habitats.
Northern blue penguin
The island is known as a sanctuary for kiwi, kaka, takahe, and saddleback and the estuary is a feeding ground for birds and a nursery for a variety of fish. With these two reserves linked by a marine reserve, animals that move between shore, sea and river habitats get special protection. Shags, terns, gulls and penguins roost and breed on land but rely on the sea for food. Native freshwater fish, such as whitebait, lay their eggs in estuarine waters and the young fish are swept out to sea before returning to swim up streams where they mature.