Heard and McDonald Islands
Australia · Subantarctic (southern Indian Ocean)The only active volcano in all of Australian territory; one of the least disturbed areas on the planet
Area
3,688 km²
Declared in
1997
Region
Subantarctic (southern Indian Ocean)
Climate
Tropical, Árido / desértico, Templado, Mediterráneo
Best time
March to May
Highlight
The only active volcano in all of Australian territory; one of the least disturbed areas on the planet
Made an Australian national park in 1997 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site the same year, Heard and McDonald Islands hold the only active volcano in all of Australian territory, Big Ben, whose summit stays capped by Australia's only active volcanic glacier. Having historically never had introduced species — unlike almost every other subantarctic island, colonised in their day by rats or cats brought by whalers — it is reckoned one of the island ecosystems least disturbed by direct human activity anywhere on the planet, with no eradication programme needed because there is nothing to eradicate.
Location
See on the interactive map18 species documented in Heard and McDonald Islands
At conservation risk:Elefante marino del sur,Lobo fino antártico,Orca,Pingüino macaroni,Albatros de cabeza gris,Marrajo sardinero,Pingüino saltarrocas,Rorcual boreal
VulnerableElefante marino del sur
Mirounga leonina
Least ConcernFoca leopardo
Hydrurga leptonyx
EndangeredLobo fino antártico
Arctocephalus gazella
EndangeredOrca
Orcinus orca
VulnerablePingüino macaroni
Eudyptes chrysolophus
Least ConcernPingüino papúa
Pygoscelis papua
Least ConcernPingüino rey
Aptenodytes patagonicus
Albatros de cabeza gris
Thalassarche chrysostoma
Least ConcernAlbatros de ceja negra
Thalassarche melanophris
Anfípodo barril de mar
Phronima sedentaria
Gaviota dominicana
Larus dominicanus
Marrajo sardinero
Lamna nasus
Flora and ecosystems
Ecosystems found in Australia, where Heard and McDonald Islands lies.
Experiences in this park
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