Refugia for biological diversity in arid and semi-arid Australia
Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker, with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce
Biodiversity Unit
Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, 1995
10. Refugia in Western Australia (continued)
10.3. Reference number WA3
Refuge area: North-west islands from Exmouth to Karratha
Biogeographic region: Carnarvon
Type of refuge: Islands
Lat./Long. 21°41’S / 114°19’E to 20°54’S / 116°02’E
Quality of refuge: Highly significant (4)
Area (km²): <1,000
Chief refuge value
Refuge for endemic and threatened mammals and reptiles. Isolated from land use changes and feral animals present on adjacent mainland.
General description
Chain of dozens of islands extending from tip of North-West Cape in the south to near Karratha in the north. Larger islands are the Muiron (21° 40' S / 114° 23' E), Thevenard (21° 28' S / 114° 60' E) and Airlie (21° 20' S / 115° 10' E) Islands.
ANZECC-listed species
Airlie Island ctenotus Ctenotus angusticeps (Airlie Island) (V); rookeries for green turtles Chelonia mydas (V), loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta (E), and small numbers of hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata (V) on Muiron Islands.
Regional endemics
Airlie Island ctenotus Ctenotus angusticeps ; Thevenard Island mouse Leggadina lakedownensis (an isolated form2).
Relict species
None identified.
Other significant species
Rattus tunneyi on Weld Island (21° 23' S / 115° 33' E)5. A few flatback turtles Chelonia depressa nest on Thevenard Island3.
Key threats
Feral animals, house mice, oil-field development, tourism and resort development.
Land tenure
At least some islands are Nature Reserves (e.g. Thevenard). Status of other islands not recorded.
Key references
1. Cogger et al. (1993)
2. Morton (1983)
3. Lee (in press)
4. Prince (pers. comm.)
5. Burbidge (1989)
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