Moku Island

Moku Island is a tropical island featured in Shipwrecked.

Moku Island is an uninhabited tropical island located in the South Pacific Ocean. It has numerous caves and mountains, as well as a large volcano called Mauna Moku (which translates to Moku Mountain), forecast to erupt in the near future. The weather surrounding the island is highly unpredictable and features many storms, which are hazardous to boats, earning the island its nickname of "Shipwrecked Island". The island is rarely visited.

History
Moku Island was formerly inhabited, with at least one village still surviving preserved in the jungle. The date the island was abandoned is unknown, but based on the decay in the surviving village buildings, it is likely to have been at least several decades prior to the present day. Surviving buildings include a Tailor's shop and an older temple-like structure. The island was abandoned due to the difficulty in obtaining supplies, with so many ships being destroyed on approach to the island.

Geography
The terrain is rugged, featuring caves, mountains and at least one volcano, with numerous sharp rocks on the approaches to the island. Some parts of the island have dense vegetation with forest and jungle biomes. Water appears to be abundant, with several waterfalls, a mountain lake and cave pools.

Climate
Given its tropical location, the island has a hot and humid climate. The weather is unpredictable, showers and storms often developing with little to no warning.

Flora
The island has numerous unusual and rare species of flora, including mutated Heliconia, Red Torch Ginger, Ohia Lehua and Tiare. Noted specimens include those of the Boraginaceae and Parmotrema robustum families. There is also edible fruit, such as dragon fruit, known locally as pitaya, and coconuts. Some of these species have flowers that have adapted to grow underwater.

The island's Red Torch Ginger has mutated unusually, and in doing so, has sucked all the nutrients out of the areas in which it grows, leaving surrounding trees and plants dead.

Land
There are numerous species on Moku Island, including panthers, spiders and rabbits.

Sea
The coastline surrounding the island is also teeming with life, including sea turtles, tuna, pufferfish (Tetraodontidae), jellyfish and Linckia laevigata, otherwise known as the blue sea star.

Hazards
"Few make it to Moku Island without getting smashed to bits and that's without a storm."

- Captain

The island is extremely hazardous to visit, even for experienced scientists and guides, with a variety of dangers. There are numerous large and sharp rocks on the approach to the island which pose a danger to boats. Storms are frequent, and can destroy boats moored on the island, for example Captain's boat "Kona Winds". This can leave visitors stranded. The fauna of the island are also dangerous, including spiders and panthers, who will attack those who venture into their territory. The coastal fauna also pose dangers, such as jellyfish stings and the highly toxic spikes of the pufferfish. There are also numerous geographical hazards, including an active volcano, caves which can quickly flood with water, mudslides and steep mountain peaks.

The island is also sometimes targeted by smugglers, who carry weaponry such as guns, who will fire at any scientists on the island.