Rurutu
- ISS004-E-5778
- 12 January 2002
- 00:02 UTC
Rurutu lies towards the northern end of the Tubuai chain of islands, located 210 km northwest from Tubuai and 150 km east from Rimatara.
The island occupies an area of 29 km², measuring 10 km in length and up to 3 km in width. Rurutu has been geologically uplifted since its initial emergence and subsidence, so that conce ancient coral reefs that fringed the younger Rurutu now stand as a 50-60 m high limestone ridge (makatea) around the island. Within the interior the hilly terrain rises to 398 m at Mt. Manureva. Other high points include Taatioa (389 m) and Teapei (369 m). Just offshore, Rurutu is surrounded by a modern fringing reef that encloses a narrow lagoon.
Rurutu has a number of endemic species of landbird, including the Pacific Reef-Heron (Egretta sacra), the Grey Duck (Anas superciliosa) and the Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis).
image: earth sciences and image analysis laboratory, nasa johnson space center