Cap Island Conservation Park is a protected area in the Australian state of South Australia located about 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) offshore, west of Mount Misery, Eyre Peninsula. The park covers Cap Island's 8ha surface. The island consists of a granite base and a calcarenite mantle; its margins steeply over-hanging and eroded. Typical vegetation is a low Nitre Bush (Nitraria billardierei) shrubland. Cap Island Conservation Park was constituted by statute in 1972 to conserve a sea bird breeding area and Australian Sea-lion (Neophoca cinerea) and New Zealand Fur-seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) haul-out areas.[3]
Cap Island Conservation Park South Australia | |
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IUCN category Ia (strict nature reserve)[1] | |
![]() ![]() Cap Island Conservation Park | |
Nearest town or city | Elliston. |
Coordinates | 33°56′42.51″S 135°7′6.73″E |
Established | 16 March 1967[2] |
Area | 9 hectares (22 acres)[2] |
Managing authorities | Department for Environment and Water |
See also | Protected areas of South Australia |
Cap Island also bears the alternative name of Gap Island and historically was also known as Rocky Island.[4]
Matthew Flinders named the island on 16 February 1802, alluding to the island's topography, geology and cap-like profile. The island was proclaimed a Fauna Conservation Reserve in 1967.[5] and gazetted as the Cap Island Conservation Park in 1972. The conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected area.[6]
In addition to marine mammals, at least nine species of birds have been recorded on Cap Island.[7] These include:
At least eight species of plants have been recorded on Cap Island.[7] They include:
Islands of South Australia | |||||||||
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West coast of Eyre Peninsula |
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Spencer Gulf |
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Investigator Strait | |||||||||
Kangaroo Island |
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Gulf St Vincent | |||||||||
Backstairs Passage | |||||||||
Encounter Bay and adjoining waters | |||||||||
South east coast | |||||||||
Mainland |
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