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Moutohora Island (previously known as Whale Island) () is a small uninhabited island located off the Bay of Plenty coast of New Zealand's North Island, about north of the town of Whakatāne. The island is a remnant of a complex volcano which has eroded, leaving two peaks. This is still an area of volcanic activity and there are hot springs on the island in Sulphur Valley, McEwans Bay, and Sulphur Bay.
The first European occupation came in the 1830s with an unsuccessful attempt to establish a shore-based whaling station. The venture failed without a single whale being captured. Forty years later came attempts to make money from sulphur. It was extracted and sold to a refinery in Auckland over a number of years but was of poor quality, and the venture was abandoned in 1895. The next phase of industrial activity came in 1915, when quarrying provided rock for the construction of the Whakatāne harbour wall. A total of of rock was removed over five years.
There are 190 native and 110 introduced plant species. The island is now completely free of the goats, , cats and rabbits which previously devastated native plants and animals. The most significant feature of Moutohora's current fauna is the breeding colony of grey-faced petrels. , Little penguin, the threatened New Zealand dotterel and Oystercatcher also breed on the island. Threatened species which are occasional visitors are the Caspian tern, the North Island kaka and Karearea. Other species present include common forest birds, captive-bred red crowned parakeets, three lizard species and fur seals. Surrounding areas hosts rich marine ecosystem including , oceanic birds, . Most common of cetaceans are smaller species such as common dolphin and bottlenose dolphins, , and while larger migratory (southern rights and ) and including also appear from time to time.Department of Conservation, 2016, Moutohorā (Whale Island) Wildlife Management Reserve ecological restoration plan 2014–2024 (pdf)
In March 1999, local Ngati Awa and the New Zealand Department of Conservation joined forces to see the fulfilment of a dream. Forty North Island saddleback (tieke) were transferred from Cuvier Island (Repanga), off the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, to Moutohora.
This relocation followed the traditional flight made centuries ago when the Mataatua waka (canoe) was accompanied by two tīeke from Repanga to Whakatāne. This flight followed the drowning of the twin sons of Muriwai, sister of Toroa, the captain of the waka. The two tieke settled briefly on Moutohora before returning to Cuvier Island.
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