West Moncoeur Island
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.
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".
Fauna
Recorded breeding seabird and wader species include short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, common diving-petrel, Pacific gull, and sooty oystercatcher. The island is part of the Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds. The metallic skink is present. The island holds an important breeding colony of Australian fur seals, with about 250 pups being born there annually.
References
- ^ 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, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Tasmania, October 2000, 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. Printed by C. Roworth for T. Egerton. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7243-0036-5. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ "IBA: Wilsons Promontory Islands". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
