Special Features of Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve

Marine life, Coral Sea, Mark Hallam

The islands in the Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve include the only forested cays in the entire Coral Sea Islands Territory. During the breeding season, large concentrations of migratory seabirds congregate on small isolated islands. These are critical for the survival of seabirds which travel across vast ocean expanses to breed on the cays.

Seventeen of the twenty-seven species of birds recorded in the Reserve are listed under the Japan Australia Migratory Birds Agreement and the China Australia Migratory Birds Agreement. Under these Agreements, Australia has an obligation to protect the environments of the listed migratory and endangered bird species.

The Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve is also noted for its:

significant island and reef ecosystems and shallow and deep water habitats
rich and diverse marine flora and fauna, characteristic of a major reef province including potentially undescribed species
critical breeding habitat for colonies of seabirds and endangered marine turtles
spectacular and unusual underwater topography and reef structure.