Rare whales protected as largest marine reserve created in Southern Indian Ocean
The Australian Government has expanded the sub-Antarctic Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve, to include a further 6,000 square kilometres of ocean.
Located 4,100 kilometres south-west of Perth, Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are home to rare flora and fauna that survive in a amazing natural environment containing both volcanic activity and glaciers. The recent extension takes in waters that are home to species of rare beaked whale, including the southern bottlenose whale.
The original Reserve was declared in October 2002 and now covers an area of over 71,000 square kilometres, making it Australia’s largest marine reserve.
