West Moncoeur Island
Island in Tasmania, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
West Moncoeur Island is a granite island, ringed by steep cliffs, with an area of 9.18 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Rodondo Group, lying in northern Bass Strait south of Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. It is a nature reserve.[1][2]
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bass Strait |
| Coordinates | 39°14′0″S 146°30′20″E |
| Area | 9 ha (22 acres) |
| Administration | |
| State | Tasmania |
The island was sighted by Lieutenant James Grant on 9 December 1800 from the survey brig HMS Lady Nelson and named after "Captain Moncur of the Royal navy".[3]
Fauna
Recorded breeding seabird and wader species include short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, common diving-petrel, Pacific gull, and sooty oystercatcher.[1] The island is part of the Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds.[4] The metallic skink is present. The island holds an important breeding colony of Australian fur seals, with about 250 pups being born there annually.[1]