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Story: Wellington region

Kāpiti Island

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Kapiti Island

Kāpiti Island is one of New Zealand’s most important nature reserves. As early as 1870 it was identified as a possible site for a bird sanctuary, and in 1897 the government set it aside for this purpose. Much of the 20th century was spent ridding Kāpiti of pests such as possums and rats. This was finally achieved in 1996, when the island was declared predator-free. This view from the mainland shows the eastern face of the island at dusk.

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Private collection

by Chris Maclean

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How to cite this page

Chris Maclean, Wellington region – Overview, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13174/kapiti-island (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Chris Maclean, published 3 March 2009, updated 1 August 2015.