Major Seabird Rookery Proposed as National Park
Comments Sought
PULU KEELING NATIONAL PARK
North Keeling Island, part of Australia's Territory of the Cocos (Keeling)
Islands has
been proposed as a National Park by the Australian Government. The Cocos
(Keeling) Islands (Lat 12.5 S, Lon 96.5) are a group of 27 islands in the
eastern
Indian Ocean. The southern inhabited atoll is a ring of 26 islands surrounding
a
lagoon. North Keeling Island, 24km to the north of the main atoll is
uninhabited.
Since their first occupation in 1826, the islands were used as a coconut
plantation.
North Keeling Island is the only island retaining its natural vegetation and
the only
island left in the group on which seabirds nest. It is one of the few islands
left in the
world that has not been colonised by rats or mice.
North Keeling (2.5 km long, 1.5km wide) is home to approximately 50,000 Red
Footed Boobies, several thousand Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds, as well as
White Terns, Noddy Terns, Sooty Terns, Masked Boobies, Brown Boobies,
White and Red Tailed Tropic birds and an endemic Buff Banded Rail.
The Australian Government has proposed that the Island should become a National
Park and is seeking public comment on this proposal. Comments should be sent
to:
Hilary Sullivan
Project Officer
Australian Nature Conservation Agency
GPO Box 636
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia
Phone (61) (06) 2500 350 (GMT +11 hrs)
Fax (61) (06) 2500 399
eMail
by 15 November 1995
For further information contact
Jeff Tranter
Government Conservator
Australian Nature Conservation Agency
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Indian Ocean, 6799
Australia
Phone (61) (091) 62 6678 (GMT + 6.5 hrs)
Fax (61) (091) 62 6680
eMail
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