Solomon Islands - East Rennell

East Rennell (1998)
Solomon Islands

East Rennell makes up the southern third of Rennell Island, the southernmost island in the Solomon Island group in the western Pacific. Rennell, 86 km long x 15 km wide, is the largest raised coral atoll in the world.

Solomon Islands 2001. Rennell Shrikebill.

The site includes approximately 37,000 ha and a marine area extending 3 nautical miles to sea. A major feature of the island is Lake Tegano, which was the former lagoon on the atoll. The lake, the largest in the insular Pacific (15,500 ha), is brackish and contains many rugged limestone islands and endemic species.

Rennell is mostly covered with dense forest, with a canopy averaging 20 m in height. Combined with the strong climatic effects of frequent cyclones, the site is a true natural laboratory for scientific study. The site is under customary land ownership and management.

Solomon Islands 2001. Honouring the designation of East Rennell as World Heritage Site, The Solomon Islands Postal Administration issued in 2001 a sheetlet of four stamps of four designs and face values:
- ENDEMIC ORCHID (Dend robium rennellii) $4.90
- Rennell $0.50
- Lake Tegano $3.40
- Rennell Shrikebill (clytorynchus hamlinii) $4.00

At this moment I only have the fourth stamp of the set, the Rennell Shrikebill, available. The left part of the stamp shows Rennell Island and the habitat.

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