Native name: Mokuʻauia | |
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Geography | |
Location | Oahu, Hawaii |
Coordinates | 21°39′43″N 157°55′28″W / 21.6618985°N 157.9244453°W |
Area | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
Highest elevation | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
Administration | |
United States |
Goat Island, also known as Mokuʻauia, is a flat islet consisting of lithified dunes in Laie Bay on the northeast shore of Oahu, Hawaii. [1] [2] [3] The islet is separated from Malaekahana State Recreation Area by a 720 feet (220 m) channel of limestone reef shelf 1 metre (3.3 ft) underwater. [4] [5] [6]
The islet is 13 acres (0.053 km2) in area with a maximum elevation of 15 feet (4.6 m). [3]
The islet is a Hawaii State Seabird Sanctuary. [3]
Goat Island is home to 16 native plant species, including the federally endangered Sesbania tomentosa. [4] It is a breeding ground for thousands of wedge-tailed shearwaters.
The islet contains invasive species, including black rats, fire ants, and big headed ants. [1] [4] [7] Black rats were first documented on the islet in 1967 with multiple eradication attempts in the 1990s and 2000s. [4] The elimination of the rats resulted in increased wedge-tailed shearwater reproduction. [4]
The dunes of the islet are a designated State Seabird Sanctuary, but its three beaches remain accessible to the public and attract many people annually. [4] [8]