Taupiri Island

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Taupiri Island

Grid reference N02 792 469

Area 3.5 ha
Altitude 0–69 m asl

Ecological units
Grassland on steep coastal hillslope(a)
Coastal shrubland on steep hillslope(b)
Landform/geology
Island of Tangihua Complex basalt.

Vegetation
The island is mainly grassland (Paspalum, Bromus, and Zoysia spp.) (Type (a)), with shrubland (Type (b) consisting of coastal toetoe, knobby clubrush, harakeke and pockets of species like mingimingi and taupata. Ti kouka, pohutukawa, wharangi and tawapou are also present. Eighty plant species have been recorded of which 59 are indigenous.



Significant flora
Tawapou (regionally significant) and coastal mahoe (regionally significant).

Fauna
Birds
Variable oystercatcher (regionally significant), pied shag, black-backed gull, welcome swallow, blackbird and silvereye.

Lizards
North Cape pacific gecko (Gradual Decline).

Landsnails
Delouagapia cordelia (Sparse), Allodiscus wairua (Range Restricted) (status from Marshall and Barker 2008) and Climocella reinga (Range Restricted).
Remains of a threatened Te Paki endemic landsnail Placostylus ambagiosus subsp. recorded in 1990

Non-threatened landsnails
Paracharopa delicatula, Phenacohelix tholoides, Paralaoma caputspinulae, Punctidae sp. 84 and Cochlicopa lubrica.
ther
Around 6 NZ fur seals were sighted at the island in 1990.

Significance
Regeneration of the vegetation of this island would improve its potential as a habitat for threatened and endemic landsnails. Threatened and regionally significant species recorded. This site has no formal protection. Approximately 3.2 ha of this site is within a ‘Less Reduced and Better Protected’ land environment