Albatross Island (Tasmania) Explained

Albatross Island
(Tangatema)
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Map:Australia Tasmania
Map Width:280
Map Relief:1
Coordinates:-40.3833°N 183°W
Location:Bass Strait
Archipelago:Hunter Island Group
Area Ha:18
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Length M:-->
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Country:Australia
Country Admin Divisions Title:State
Country Admin Divisions:Tasmania
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The Albatross Island, part of the Hunter Island Group, is an 18ha island and nature reserve located in Bass Strait, that lies between north-west Tasmania and King Island, Australia. The Peerapper name for the island is Tangatema.[1]

The island is part of the Albatross Island and Black Pyramid Rock Important Bird Area that is notable for its breeding colony of 5,000 pairs of shy albatross, some 40% of the world population of the species.[2]

Fauna

Apart from shy albatross, breeding seabirds and shorebirds include little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, Pacific gull, silver gull and sooty oystercatcher. A pair of white-bellied sea eagles usually nests there annually. The island is visited regularly by Australian fur seals and New Zealand fur seals. Reptiles include the metallic skink and Tasmanian tree skink.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. On the dialects and languages of the Aboriginal Tribes of Tasmania, and on their manners and customs . Milligan, Joseph . Papers of the Royal Society of Tasmania . 1858 . 271 .
  2. Web site: IBA: Albatross Island & Black Pyramid Rock . 2011-05-19 . Birdata . Birds Australia . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706102341/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm . 6 July 2011 .
  3. Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart.