 View from Mou Waho, with Arethusa Pool in the foreground and The Peninsula in the distance | |
 Interactive map of Mou Waho (Māori) | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Total islands | 1 |
| Highest elevation | 473 m (1552 ft) |
| Highest point | Tyrwhitt Peak |
| Administration | |
New Zealand | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Mou Waho is a 120-hectare island inLake Wānaka, New Zealand.[1]It is around the same size as the nearbyMou Tapu, these two islands being the largest in the lake. The island contains a smallrecursive lake, called Arethusa Pool: a glacial-scoured lake formed by the most recentice age on an island, in a lake on an island.[2]
Buff weka thrive on the island are predators of much of the native wildlife includingmountain stone wētā,cave wētā, and Southern Alps geckos.[3] For this reason students of the localMount Aspiring College built 40 small wooden motels for these animals to safely live in.[4]
The island was formerly variously known asPigeon Island (therefore confused withits namesake on nearbyLake Wakatipu[5]) andManuka Island. It was officially renamedHarwich Island in 1925[6] in honour of the Royal Navy'sHarwich Force[5] but the name did not gain wide acceptance[5] and was renamed Mou Waho in 1988 after documents from the 1920s were found attesting to the originalte reo Māori name.[5]
44°33′15″S169°05′02″E / 44.554064°S 169.083845°E /-44.554064; 169.083845
