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Story: Seabirds – overview

The Snares Islands

The Snares Islands

To the south of New Zealand lie the Snares Islands, named because they were a trap for ships sailing along the roaring forties. However, these tiny islands and rock stacks are a haven for seabirds. They provide a variety of breeding habitats such as rock ledges and bush-covered soil, and they have remained free of mammalian predators. Because the Snares are near the convergence of cool subantarctic and warmer subtropical waters, and on the edge of a plateau swept by currents from the Tasman Sea, the islands are surrounded with nutrient-rich waters and plenty of fish and squid.

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The Snares Islands Project

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How to cite this page:

Kerry-Jayne Wilson. 'Seabirds – overview', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/seabirds-overview/1/2