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47-493: The Somosomo Strait is the strait that separates Taveuni island and Vanua Levu in Fiji . It is known for its soft coral and is a popular diving location. This article about a geographical location in Fiji is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Taveuni The island had a population of around 19,000, some 75 per cent of them indigenous Fijians , at the 2015 census. Taveuni has abundant flora and

94-480: A lava flow at the southern tip of the island around 1550. The island's central ridge delineates the greatest volcanic activity surrounding volcanic vents. Lake Tagimaucia is one of Taveuni's most famous tourist attractions. It occupies a volcanic crater at an altitude of 800 metres (2,600 feet), and is the habitat of the rare tagimaucia flower. Fiji's most famous waterfalls , the Bouma Falls , are also on

141-589: A contributor to the local economy, with about a dozen small resorts providing accommodation options for visitors and employment and business opportunities to the local population. The Taveuni dialect of Fijian reflects Tongan influence. One of its most distinctive features is the replacement of the consonant 'k' by a glottal stop . The Tui Cakau is therefore known locally as the Tui Ca'au. Taveuni notable peoples of high birth, other settler societies or ordinary Fijian (Indigenous) residents can be traced back to

188-462: A manner analogous to stratification in the Earth's atmosphere , the water column can be divided vertically into up to five different layers (illustrated in the diagram), with the number of layers depending on the depth of the water. Marine life is affected by bathymetry (underwater topography) such as the seafloor, shoreline, or a submarine seamount , as well as by proximity to the boundary between

235-439: A number of nursing stations and health centres are located around the island. Other settlements include Bouma, Deleni, Gacaavulu, Kanacea, Korovou, Lavena, Matei, Naselesele, Navakawau, Salialevu, Soqulu, Vuna, Wairiki, and Welagi. The climate of Taveuni and Fiji is tropical without temperate extremes. It has been described as typical highland . Between November and April, the area is prone to tropical cyclones. Rainfall rates on

282-558: Is found only on Taveuni. It was discovered by scientists in 1977. The flowering plant Balaka seemannii , which is endemic to Fiji, is found on the island. The green iguana or American iguana has been introduced to the Fijian islands. The lizard poses a threat because it has no natural enemies, can reach a high population density, eats the taro plant and because it carries Salmonella bacteria which can be transferred to humans if bitten. In 2013, an eradication program coordinated by

329-408: Is known as the 'Garden Island of Fiji'. It is a popular tourist destination. Tourists are attracted by the excellent diving opportunities, prolific bird life, bushwalks and waterfalls. Central parts of the island receive very high rainfall. Being volcanic in origin, Taveuni's soils have supported the island's most historically significant industry, agriculture. Taveuni is located at the northern end of

376-609: Is the Waitavala Waterslide. This entirely natural streambed chute plummets for about 50 metres down the lush hillside and is a favourite haunt for local children and brave tourists. In eastern Taveuni the Savulevu Yavonu Waterfall empties into the ocean. Tavoro Creek , Somosomo Creek , Waimbula River and the islands most notable waterways. Many of Taveuni's best known attractions lie underwater. There are three major, distinct diving areas around

423-485: The Greek underworld . This is the deepest part of the ocean at more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft) or 6,500 m (21,300 ft), depending on authority. Such depths are generally located in trenches . The pelagic ecosystem is based on phytoplankton . Phytoplankton manufacture their own food using a process of photosynthesis . Because they need sunlight, they inhabit the upper, sunlit epipelagic zone, which includes

470-534: The Koro Sea , and is entirely the product of volcanic activity. Fiji's third largest island is separated from Vanua Levu by the Somosomo Strait . The island is between 10 and 14 kilometres (6 and 9 miles) wide and 42 km (26 mi) long, representing the top of a dormant, elongated shield volcano which erupted from a northeast–southwest trending rift on the ocean floor. About 150 volcanic cones dot

517-410: The benthic and demersal zones at the bottom of the sea. The benthic zone is the ecological region at the very bottom, including the sediment surface and some subsurface layers. Marine organisms such as clams and crabs living in this zone are called benthos . Just above the benthic zone is the demersal zone. Demersal fish can be divided into benthic fish , which are denser than water and rest on

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564-572: The mongoose , a major predator, has also played a part in the survival on Taveuni of land crabs, the unique Fiji fruit bat, the Taveuni silk bat, and some unique species of palm . The island is the second largest in the Pacific Ocean to be free from the mongoose. Other species found on the island include the Fiji banded iguana and both Platymantis vitiensis and P. vitianus frog species. The critically endangered Fijian monkey-faced bat

611-500: The water column of coastal, ocean, and lake waters, but not on or near the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and coral reef fish . Pelagic fish are often migratory forage fish , which feed on plankton , and the larger predatory fish that follow and feed on the forage fish. Examples of migratory forage fish are herring , anchovies , capelin , and menhaden . Examples of larger pelagic fish which prey on

658-507: The water column of the open ocean and can be further divided into regions by depth. The word pelagic is derived from Ancient Greek πέλαγος ( pélagos )  'open sea'. The pelagic zone can be thought of as an imaginary cylinder or water column between the surface of the sea and the bottom. Conditions in the water column change with depth: pressure increases; temperature and light decrease; salinity, oxygen, micronutrients (such as iron, magnesium and calcium) all change. In

705-586: The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji saw a bounty placed on both adult and juvenile American iguanas as well as their eggs. Taveuni is also home to the Taveuni beetle , maroon shining parrot , Fiji goshawk , azure-crested flycatcher , Fiji white-eye , Fiji parrot finch , orange dove , and the kula parrot, and the Australian magpie , introduced to control coconut pests, has proliferated on

752-562: The bottom, and benthopelagic fish , which swim just above the bottom. Demersal fish are also known as bottom feeders and groundfish . The pelagic zone is subdivided into five vertical regions. From the top down, these are: The illuminated zone at the surface of the sea with sufficient light for photosynthesis. Nearly all primary production in the ocean occurs here, and marine life is concentrated in this zone, including plankton , floating seaweed , jellyfish , tuna , many sharks and dolphins . The most abundant organisms thriving into

799-463: The central part of Taveuni. In 1876, a 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) horse tramway was constructed on the Selia Levu estate to transport sugar cane to a mill. The Taveuni F.C. was founded in 1947. Bouma Forest Park, later renamed Bouma National Heritage Park was established in 1990 after landowning clans became concerned by the threat of logging. The reserve has expanded to cover roughly one third of

846-753: The coastal or neritic zone . Biodiversity diminishes markedly in the deeper zones below the epipelagic zone as dissolved oxygen diminishes, water pressure increases, temperatures become colder, food sources become scarce, and light diminishes and finally disappears. Some examples of pelagic invertebrates include krill , copepods , jellyfish , decapod larvae , hyperiid amphipods , rotifers and cladocerans . Thorson's rule states that benthic marine invertebrates at low latitudes tend to produce large numbers of eggs developing to widely dispersing pelagic larvae, whereas at high latitudes such organisms tend to produce fewer and larger lecithotrophic (yolk-feeding) eggs and larger offspring. Pelagic fish live in

893-413: The east–west antimeridian , so the "north-eastern" portion of the island is located at -179 degrees longitude and the south-western part at +179 degrees longitude . This is often an example that causes havoc to GIS software, in which a polygon geometry around the perimeter of the island is incorrectly rendered and wraps around the globe. To protect Fiji's wildlife, two sanctuaries have been created on

940-486: The era before European contact through to Deed of Cession of Fiji with Great Britain to Fiji Independence and today. Taveuni has 5 main key main villages which has their own Paramount Chiefs. These Chiefs are crucial in keeping their people informed of changes and updates on developments in Fiji. These are those that have helped shaped Taveuni and holding together its people. Perhaps the best-known Taveuni resident internationally

987-517: The first years of their lives in the pelagic zone, moving closer to shore as they reach maturity. Pelagic birds , also called oceanic birds or seabirds , live on open seas and oceans rather than inland or around more restricted waters such as rivers and lakes. Pelagic birds feed on planktonic crustaceans , squid and forage fish . Examples are the Atlantic puffin , macaroni penguins , sooty terns , shearwaters , and Procellariiformes such as

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1034-534: The following day stating that Vanuabalavu and all the other lands given to him. The life of Enele Ma'afu the Tui Lau has been documented in the " Summary of Key Historical Events ". Na Tikina Makawa o Vuna was not defeated by Somosomo as the above statement reads. In fact, historically, Taveuni was owned and controlled by two distinct Chieftainship, Tikina o Vuna from the south, and one in the north of Taveuni. The Tui Cakau has his land across water from Taveuni island and

1081-477: The forage fish are billfish , tuna , and oceanic sharks . Hydrophis platurus , the yellow-bellied sea snake, is the only one of the 65 species of marine snakes to spend its entire life in the pelagic zone. It bears live young at sea and is helpless on land. The species sometimes forms aggregations of thousands along slicks in surface waters. The yellow-bellied sea snake is the world's most widely distributed snake species. Many species of sea turtles spend

1128-508: The inshore waters near the coast , such as in estuaries or on the continental shelf. Waters in the oceanic zone plunge to the depths of the abyssopelagic and further to the hadopelagic . Coastal waters are generally the relatively shallow epipelagic. Altogether, the pelagic zone occupies 1,330 million km (320 million mi ) with a mean depth of 3.68 km (2.29 mi) and maximum depth of 11 km (6.8 mi). Pelagic life decreases as depth increases. The pelagic zone contrasts with

1175-574: The island are high because the central mountains produce precipitation by orographic uplift . As much as 10 metres (33 feet) of rain falls annually on the eastern side of the island, but the western side is sheltered from the southeast trade winds by the ridge that runs the length of the island. The central ridge experiences a wet upland climate which supports montane and submontane forests. Near Mount Koroturanga, 9,970 mm of mean, annual rainfall has been recorded. A 2011 study identified coastal erosion , flooding and water availability and supply as

1222-596: The island of Taveuni, namely the Ravilevu Nature Reserve on the east coast, and the Taveuni Forest Reserve in the middle of the island. The potential to be nominated as a World Heritage Site contributes to the island's national significance, as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. The population is concentrated mostly on the more sheltered western side of the island. Taveuni has eight major villages. Halfway down

1269-444: The island, including Uluigalau , Fiji's second highest peak at 1,241 metres (4,072 feet), and Des Vœux Peak , next in height at 1,195 metres (3,921 feet). There have been at least 58 volcanic eruptions since the first human settlement around 950-750 BC, all of which affected the southern two-thirds of the island. Major eruptions from 300 to 500 AD caused abandonment of the southern areas until about 1100 AD. The latest eruption produced

1316-609: The island, located in the Bouma National Heritage Park . South of Vuna village and the lagoon, jet black rocks litter an area known as the South Cape where Taveuni's last volcanic eruption spilled into the sea around 500 years ago. The highlight of the region is the Matamaiqi blowhole with geysers created by trade winds crashing against the volcanic rocks. About 20 minutes on foot from the town of Waiyevo

1363-508: The island. In January 2003, Severe Tropical Cyclone Ami crossed the island. In January 2008, Cyclone Gene caused widespread damage on the island. In March 2010, the island was hit by Severe Tropical Cyclone Tomas . The eye of the storm passed within 30 km of the island and produced a significant tidal surge and high waves. Nearly all plants and animals indigenous to Fiji are found on Taveuni, which has suffered less devastation from land clearance than other areas of Fiji. The absence of

1410-415: The island. The critically endangered red-throated lorikeet has been found here. In total, 22 regional endemic bird species have been recorded on Taveuni. The total number of bird species found on the island is closer to 100. The island's agricultural output is a significant contributor to the Fijian economy. Copra has been traditionally the most important crop produced on Taveuni, and has always been

1457-415: The island. To the north of Taveuni lie in close proximity the islands of Qamea and Matagi with their surrounding reef systems. The Rainbow Reef and Vuna Reef are famous for diving and snorkeling, respectively. The Rainbow Reef, on the western side of the narrow Somosomo Strait between Taveuni and Vanua Levu, is known as one of the world's premier soft coral dive areas and the soft coral capital of

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1504-588: The late 1860s, the Tongan warlord Enele Ma'afu , who had conquered the Lau Islands , was defeated by the Tui Cakau's army in a skirmish at Somosomo. Several islands that sided with Ma'afu were sold by the Tui Cakau at that time to European settlers as punishment, and their inhabitants were moved to Taveuni. The villages of Lovonivonu and Kanacea are populated with their descendants. In fact, Enele Ma'afu

1551-553: The mesopelagic zone are heterotrophic bacteria. Animals living in this zone include swordfish , squid , wolffish and some species of cuttlefish . Many organisms living here are bioluminescent . Some mesopelagic creatures rise to the epipelagic zone at night to feed. The name stems from Ancient Greek βαθύς  'deep'. The ocean is pitch black at this depth apart from occasional bioluminescent organisms, such as anglerfish . No plants live here. Most animals survive on detritus known as " marine snow " falling from

1598-418: The most significant impacts of climate change on some of the villages on Taveuni. In 1643, Abel Tasman became the first European to sight Taveuni. Visibility was poor, and he mistook the peaks of Taveuni for separate islands. Historically, Vuna was considered the paramount village on Taveuni when the Tui Cakau (Ratu Yavala) resided there, but tribal warfare eventually established the supremacy of Somosomo. In

1645-431: The ocean and the atmosphere at the ocean surface, which brings light for photosynthesis, predation from above, and wind stirring up waves and setting currents in motion. The pelagic zone refers to the open, free waters away from the shore, where marine life can swim freely in any direction unhindered by topographical constraints. The oceanic zone is the deep open ocean beyond the continental shelf , which contrasts with

1692-427: The problem of Fijian security guards, whom some accused of being mercenaries, operating illegally on the island of Bougainville . The incident embarrassed the Fijian government and threatened to strain relations between the two countries. On 4 May 2006 Kubuabola was posted to Tokyo as Fiji's Ambassador to Japan and Korea , replacing Ratu Tevita Momoedonu . He remained in this position until July 2009; on 24 July, he

1739-585: The staple of the local economy. In recent times farmers have mainly shifted to growing taro , kava and other speciality crops like vanilla , along with tropical fruit and coffee . During the American Civil War (1861–1865), cotton was raised on Taveuni and exported to Europe. Sugarcane was also grown for a brief period. Livestock such as sheep , cattle and poultry are also raised, but animal husbandry lags behind crop production in terms of economic importance. In recent times, tourism has become

1786-547: The west coast is the administrative centre of Waiyevo . The largest urban area, however, comprises the twin villages of Somosomo and Naqara . As the traditional fiefdom of the Tui Cakau , one of Fiji's highest-ranked chiefs, Somosomo is regarded as the capital of the Tovata Confederacy , while Naqara, an Indo-Fijian settlement, is the island's commercial centre. The main hospital is located at Waiyevo while

1833-472: The world The horseshoe-shaped Vuna Lagoon, near the southern end of the island, is much appreciated by divers for the opportunity to see larger pelagic and schooling fish species on the exposed southern side of the reef, whereas the sheltered western parts provide pristine soft and hard coral gardens. Migrating humpback whales pass the island in July. An interesting note is that the island of Taveuni crosses

1880-406: The zones above or, like the marine hatchetfish , by preying on other inhabitants of this zone. Other examples of this zone's inhabitants are giant squid , smaller squid and the grimpoteuthis or "dumbo octopus". The giant squid is hunted here by deep-diving sperm whales . The name is derived from Ancient Greek ἄβυσσος  'bottomless' - a holdover from times when the deep ocean

1927-602: Was Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau (1918–1993), Fiji's last Governor-General and first President , who was also Tui Cakau . The Ganilau family is a branch of the Ai Sokula clan, to which the present Tui Cakau and former Cabinet Minister Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu also belongs. He died in 1993, and was buried there. Another notable Taveunian is Fiji's former First Lady , Adi Salaseini Kavunono , wife of President Ratu Josefa Iloilo (2000–2009). Ratu Jone Yavala Kubuabola served as Fiji's Minister for Finance from 2000 to 2006. He

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1974-729: Was also a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji . Ratu Inoke Kubuabola (younger brother of Ratu Jone Yavala Kubuabola) is a Fijian politician who served as Leader of the Opposition in 1999 and 2000. He became leader of the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei , or SVT, following its defeat in the 1999 election and the subsequent resignation of its leader, the defeated Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka , from Parliament. Kubuabola served as Fiji's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2005. In late 2005, he attempted to handle

2021-410: Was believed to indeed be bottomless. Among the very few creatures living in the cold temperatures, high pressures and complete darkness here are several species of squid; echinoderms including the basket star , swimming cucumber, and the sea pig ; and marine arthropods including the sea spider . Many species at these depths are transparent and eyeless. The name is derived from the realm of Hades ,

2068-552: Was involved in an internal Cakaudrove campaign. It was an opportune time for Wainiqolo to initiate his campaign whilst Golea was involved in an internal struggle on Vanualevu. Ma’afu never forgave Wainiqolo for the act that he did and removed all land allocated to him. Historians saw this anger as confirmation that Ma’afu was not part of the Wainiqolo plot to conquer Tui Cakau while he was away in Tonga. The unprovoked attack by Wainiqolo

2115-629: Was named Minister for Foreign Affairs by the Interim Government, a position he still holds as of 2015 . The Kubuabola family is a branch of the Ai Sokula clan. Isikeli Vuruna , a rugby union footballer, was born on Taveuni. Both Avengers of the Reef and Return to the Blue Lagoon were partially filmed on the island. Fantasy Island (film) was also filmed on the island. Pelagic The pelagic zone consists of

2162-553: Was not defeated by the Tui Cakau's army as stated above. He was in Tonga at that time. In July 1862, Ma’afu went for a visit to Tonga with Tui Bua to seek resolution about his campaign in Fiji with the Tongan Parliament. During his absence, Wainiqolo, one of his lieutenants, waged war on Golea. Wainiqolo was shot dead on the beach at Wairiki and the Tongans were slaughtered. Wainiqolo had taken Tui Cakau prisoner when Golea

2209-502: Was regarded by the Tui Cakau as cancelling his obligation to respect the right of Ma’afu to islands which had been formerly part of Cakaudrove chiefdom. Golea proceeded to resell the whole of Vanuabalavu to Europeans. On 3 February 1865, a Court of Arbitration was convened by British Consul Jones who handed down the Court's decision that Ma’afu was the lawful owner of Vanuabalavu and associated islands. Ma’afu immediately executed an affidavit

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