parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
parks victoria technical series marine natural values study vol 2 ...
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Parks Victoria Technical Series No. 79<br />
Flinders and Twofold Shelf Bioregions Marine Natural Values Study<br />
Marine mammals and reptiles<br />
The southern right whale Eubalaena australis and humpback whale Megaptera<br />
novaeangliae have been recorded in or near the Wilsons Promontory MNP (Table 5). The<br />
southern right whale E. australis is listed as critically endangered in Victorian waters and<br />
endangered nationally. The humpback whale M. novaeangliae is listed as vulnerable at the<br />
state and national level. Both species have been observed to calf in the MNP. These two<br />
whales along with the killer whale Orcinus orca are migratory listed species under the Bonn<br />
convention. The state vulnerable New Zealand fur seal Arctophoca forsteri has been<br />
recorded as breeding on Kanowna Island and presumably feeds in the MNP. The state and<br />
nationally listed leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea and the nationally vulnerable green<br />
turtle Chelonia mydas have both been recorded from the MNP. Three other <strong>marine</strong> reptiles<br />
occur as vagrants along the eastern Victorian coast: loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta,<br />
Pacific ridley Lepidochelys olivacea, yellow-bellied sea snake Pelamis platurus and probably<br />
use the waters of the MNP (Plummer et al. 2003). The bottlenose dolphin Tursiops<br />
truncatus, common dolphin Delphinus delphis, and leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx have<br />
been observed in the waters in and around the park. The Australian fur seal Arctocephalus<br />
pusillus doriferus feeds in the MNP and breeds on the islands surrounded by the park, with a<br />
particularly large breeding colony on Kanowna Island (Littnan et al. 2007, Arnould &<br />
Kirkwood 2008, Tripovich et al. 2009, Deacon & Arnould 2009, Gibbons & Arnould 2008,<br />
Tripovich et al 2006, Spence-Bailey et al. 2007). Numbers are concentrated in breeding<br />
areas from October to December.<br />
Table 5. Conservation listed <strong>marine</strong> mammal and reptile records from Wilsons Promontory Marine<br />
National Park and surrounds.<br />
Victorian listing National<br />
listing<br />
International<br />
convention<br />
Common name Scientific name FFG VROTS EPBC Bonn<br />
southern right whale Eubalaena australis L CR EN L<br />
humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae L VU VU L<br />
New Zealand fur seal Arctophoca forsteri VU L<br />
Arctocephalus pusillus<br />
Australian fur seal doriferus<br />
L<br />
killer whale Orcinus orca L L<br />
leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea L CR VU L<br />
green turtle Chelonia mydas VU L<br />
L = listed, M = listed Migratory, VU = vulnerable, EN = endangered, CR = critically endangered<br />
Species distribution information<br />
An assessment of distribution, endemism and rarity of biota across the state found that<br />
Wilsons MNP had four molluscs presumed to be endemic to the park (O'Hara and Barmby<br />
2000; O'Hara 2002; Table 6).<br />
Table 6. Marine invertebrates presumed to be endemic to the Wilsons Promontory Marine National<br />
Park (O'Hara and Barmby 2000; O'Hara 2002)<br />
Phylum Order Family Species<br />
Mollusca Gastropoda Cyclostrematidae Liotella vercoi<br />
Mollusca Gastropoda Cystiscidae Cystiscus halli<br />
Mollusca Polyplacophora Eulimidae Eulima styliformis<br />
Mollusca Polyplacophora Eulimidae Eulima <strong>victoria</strong>e<br />
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