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Christmas Island: World
built 640 days ago
Since the first exploration of Christmas Island there has always been interest in its unique environment. The Islands flora has developed largely due to the warm temperatures, high rainfall and Isolation. There are approximately 450 plant species of which 18 are endemic, and 126 are found now where else in the world. The Island is a focal point for sea birds of various species.
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The diversity and abundance of crabs on Christmas Island is of great conservation significance. Twenty-three land and shoreline crabs are native to the island, including the robber (or coconut) crab, Birgus latro. Elsewhere in its range, populations of this species have been severely depleted by hunting and habitat clearance. The robber crab population on Christmas Island is recognised as the largest and most intact anywhere in the world.
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The pincer-shaped Christmas Island (Kiritimati) - member of the Line Islands group - contains nearly half of Kiribati's total land area. Most government services are located in London, at the northern-most pincer. London moves at a leisurely pace. It is home to the tourist office, post office, bank and telecommunications centre. In addition to being the world's largest coral atoll, the island is a protected wildlife sanctuary renowned for its seabirds and fish. Other attractions include diving, snorkelling and game fishing.
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The best way to sum up the significance of Christmas Island's natural heritage is to consider it in the context of World Heritage. A site can be inscribed on the World Heritage list if it fulfils just one of the following; it represents a major stage of the earth's history, it is an outstanding example of ongoing ecological and biological processes, it contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of natural beauty, or it contains the most important natural habitats for the conservation of biological diversity. Expert advice indicates that Christmas Island would qualify as a World Heritage site on three of these four categories.
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Christmas Island is one of the greatest sea-bird colonies in the world. As a forested oceanic island with access to nutrient-rich upwelling, it provides a perfect breeding environment for a wide variety of seabirds. There are eight species or sub-species of seabirds nesting on the island. |more|
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Christmas Island is the peak of an ancient underwater volcano surrounded by a narrow reef that plunges into a marine wonderland offering some of the best undersea coral gardens in the world. Pods of spinner dolphins frequent the island year round and divers can experience one of the ultimate experiences of a lifetime - swimming with the giant gentle whale shark.
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