Christmas Island (Tasmania)

Christmas Island is an island nature reserve, with an area of 63.49 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s New Year Island Group which includes the much larger King Island,[1] lying north-west of Tasmania at the western limit of Bass Strait. According to the International Hydrographic Organization, the line separating Bass Strait from the Great Australian Bight runs through King Island, so Christmas Island lies in the Great Australian Bight. The island forms part of the King Island Important Bird Area because of its importance for breeding seabirds and waders.[2]

Fauna

Breeding seabird and shorebird species include little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, Pacific gull, silver gull, sooty oystercatcher, pied oystercatcher and black-faced cormorant. Reptiles include tiger snakes and lizards. A species of mouse is present.[3]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Brothers et al, p.47.
  2. ↑ BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: King Island. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2011-07-16.
  3. ↑ Brothers et al, pp.47-49.

Sources

Coordinates: 39°41′S 143°50′E / 39.683°S 143.833°E / -39.683; 143.833


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