Island in Tasmania, Australia
West Moncoeur Island is a granite island, ringed by steep cliffs, with an area of 9.18 ha , in south-eastern Australia . It is part of Tasmania ’s Rodondo Group, lying in northern Bass Strait south of Wilsons Promontory in Victoria . It is a nature reserve .[ 1] [ 2]
The island was sighted by Lieutenant James Grant on 9 December 1800 from the survey brig HMS Lady Nelson and named after "Captain Moncur of the Royal navy".[ 3]
Fauna
Recorded breeding seabird and wader species include short-tailed shearwater , fairy prion , common diving-petrel , Pacific gull , and sooty oystercatcher .[ 1] Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area , identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds .[ 4] metallic skink is present. The island holds an important breeding colony of Australian fur seals , with about 250 pups being born there annually.[ 1]
References
^ a b c Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features . Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X
^
Small Bass Strait Island Reserves. Draft Management Plan , retrieved 4 February 2012
^
Grant, James (1803). The narrative of a voyage of discovery, performed in His Majesty's vessel the Lady Nelson, of sixty tons burthen: with sliding keels, in the years 1800, 1801, and 1802, to New South Wales ISBN 978-0-7243-0036-5 . Retrieved 25 January 2012 .
^ "IBA: Wilsons Promontory Islands" . Birdata . Birds Australia. Retrieved 29 November 2011 .
