Where is Secretary Island and why is it so special?
Map of coastline
Secretary Island (8140 hectares) is situated on the Fiordland coast at the entrance to Doubtful Sound. It is the third highest island in New Zealand, rising sharply to a height of 1196 metres and supports a diverse range of plant communities and habitats.
The only animal pest species present on Secretary Island are deer and stoats. There are no possums or rodents which are found in many other areas of New Zealand. The absence of rats and mice has meant that Secretary Island has provided refuge for an abundant and diverse range of invertebrates, such as the knobbled weevil, cave weta and tunnel web spider. Significant plant species which possums like to eat, such as mistletoes and mountain lancewood are also found there.