In the early 19th century, there were Māori battles fought on Native Island. The island was deserted in the 1840s after visiting ships brought
measles, triggering a deadly epidemic. Survivors held a
korero and agreed to set fire to their homes before leaving the island. Due to quarantine regulations, most of the dogs were killed, but a few were kept under permission from MP
Joseph Ward on the premise that they could be used for a future expedition. Nine descendants of these dogs were used in
Ernest Shackleton's 1907–1909
Nimrod Expedition. The following year, the whaler
C. A. Larsen, a Norwegian factory ship, was towed and beached near Native Island after it went aground at Whero Rock. there were also goats, but it has been reported that neither now inhabit the island. In 2013 the
Department of Conservation started a rat-trap test on Native Island, planting around 140 self-setting
Goodnature A24 traps which were checked every 4 to 5 weeks in order to control the island's
ship and
Norway rat populations. A year later, sniffer dogs could not detect any rats on the island. In 2021 it was considered to put a wind farm on Native Island, but this was ultimately scrapped due to the difficulty of making the transmission route, anticipated lack of wind, that half of the island is a national park, and cultural value that is associated with Native Island. == Flora and fauna ==