Southern Australian Marine
About the Area
The Southern Australian Marine ecoregion contains one of the world's largest marine floras, including about 25% of the world's red algae, of which 75% are endemic.
Many diverse species can live here because of the mixture of warm waters from the west and cold waters from the south, as well as regular upwellings of nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths.
Local Species
Among the numerous seabirds found in this area are the wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), black-browed Albatross (D. melanophris), Northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes), Short-tailed shearwater (P. tenuirostris), Australasian gannet (Sula serrator), Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome), and little Penguin (Eudyptula minor).
Other marine species include Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), Weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), and the Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).
Threats
Marine pollution, coastal development, overfishing, and long-line fishing associated with high levels of bycatch (e.g., albatross), are threats to the species found here.
Resources
Local Species
Among the numerous seabirds found in this area are the wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), black-browed Albatross (D. melanophris), Northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), Flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes), Short-tailed shearwater (P. tenuirostris), Australasian gannet (Sula serrator), Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome), and little Penguin (Eudyptula minor).
Other marine species include Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), Weedy seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), and the Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).
Threats
Marine pollution, coastal development, overfishing, and long-line fishing associated with high levels of bycatch (e.g., albatross), are threats to the species found here.
Resources
Size:
N/A
Habitat type:
Temperate Shelf and Seas
Geographic Location:
Southern coasts of Australia
Conservation Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
N/A
Habitat type:
Temperate Shelf and Seas
Geographic Location:
Southern coasts of Australia
Conservation Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
Quiz Time!
Is the population of marine turtles stable worldwide?
Answer:
Six of the seven species of marine turtles are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, and the outlook is increasingly grim. In the Pacific, leatherbacks are heading for extinction, fast, and in the Mediterranean, green turtle numbers have plummeted.
