Starbuck Island

Ruins of the 19th Century guano settlement on Starbuck Island

Starbuck Island (or Volunteer Island) is a coral atoll in the central Pacific. It is part of the Central Line Islands of Kiribati. No one lives on the island.

Geography, flora and fauna

Starbuck Island is located at 5°38′30″S 155°52′40″W / 5.64167°S 155.87778°W / -5.64167; -155.87778Coordinates: 5°38′30″S 155°52′40″W / 5.64167°S 155.87778°W / -5.64167; -155.87778. It is 8.9 kilometres (5.5 mi) east-to-west and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) north-to-south. The island has a land area of 1,620 hectares (4,000 acres).[1] It is a low, dry, coral limestone island. It has a steep beach.

There is no freshwater on the island. Each year, the island gets about 800 millimetres (31 in) of rain.[1]

Starbuck Island has a large colony of Sooty Terns. It is estimated that 1.5 million pairs of the birds live on the island. The island is also a home to Polynesian Rats, feral cats, Green turtles and about fifteen other species of seabirds.[1]

References