Ecological Island

An ecological island is not necessarily an island surrounded by water, but is an area of land, isolated by natural or artificial means from the surrounding land, where a natural micro-habitat exists amidst a larger differing ecosystem.

Also, in artificial ecological islands (also known as mainland islands):

• all non-native species (at least predator species) have been eradicated,
• native species are reintroduced and nurtured, and
• the natural or artificial border is maintained to prevent reintroduction of non-native species.

The ultimate goal is to recreate an ecological microcosm of the country as a whole as it was before human arrival. There is usually provision for controlled public access, and scientific study and research.

The definition does not include land within a fence erected to:

• protect farm animals from wild predators
• protect a specific species from specific predators
• exclude farm animals only
• exclude native animals (although some native animals, weka for example, may need to be excluded during a species' recovery phase).