This island is famous of its sea birds especially black robin. Other endangered invertebrates include the Rangatira spider, Chathams giant click beetle, Pitt Island longhorn and giant stick insect. Skinks are abundant. Chatham Islands snipe and parakeets are common. Forbes' parakeet is far rarer than the red-crowned parakeet. Petrel and Shearwater burrows are common in places, and the shore platforms are home to Chatham Islands oystercatchers. 

The history of Moriori can be viewed at http://history-nz.org/moriori.html

The first populated land where the Sun will rise in the new millennium (and at the beginning of any other year) is at Kahuitara Point (44° 16' S 176° 9' W) on Pitt Island in the Chatham Islands. The sun's first rays of a new year strike Mt. Hakepa on Pitt Island, therefore in 2000 some enterprising Chatham Islanders managed to obtain Reserve Bank approval to issue their own banknote denominations as an unofficial but popular promotional project for the millennium event. A similar project to make 2001 dated 5 Dollars coins was not viewed so enthusiastically by the authorities (New Zealand government) and the issue was suppressed and objected before it got off the ground, but after some of the pieces had been struck. Although promotional material stated that only 5000 coins would be minted but it has advised that the actual figure is around 200.

Pictured on the obverse of the coin shows Tame Horomana Rehe Solomon, known as Tommy Solomon, the last full blooded Moriori, who died in 1933.