Island in Indian Ocean
Designations
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Official name
| Pulu Keeling National Park
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Designated
| 17 March 1996
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Reference no.
| 797
[1]
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North Keeling
is a small, uninhabited coral atoll, approximately 1.2 square kilometres (0.46 sq mi) in area, about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of
Horsburgh Island
. It is the northernmost atoll and island of the
Australian
territory of the
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
. It consists of just one C-shaped island, a nearly closed atoll ring with a small opening into the lagoon, about 50 metres (160 ft) wide, on the east side. The lagoon is about 0.5 square kilometres (0.19 sq mi) in area. The island is home to the only surviving population of the endemic, and endangered,
Cocos buff-banded rail
, as well as large breeding colonies of
seabirds
. Since 1995, North Keeling Island and the surrounding sea to 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from shore have been within the Pulu Keeling National Park.
History
[
edit
]
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are believed to have first been seen by Europeans in 1609 by Captain
William Keeling
, after whom they are named, of the
East India Company
on a journey from
Java
in the
Dutch East Indies
. North Keeling was sketched by Ekeberg, a Swedish captain, in 1749, showing the presence of
coconut palms
. It also appears on a 1789 chart produced by British hydrographer
Alexander Dalrymple
.
[2]
North Keeling was visited in 1836 by Captain
Robert FitzRoy
and his companion
Charles Darwin
in
HMS
Beagle
, who was, as with many other visitors, unable to land on the island.
In the 19th century many people suffering from
Beriberi
were put ashore at the island. Several graves are present, some from these people, but also from
shipwrecks
.
Battle of Cocos
[
edit
]
On 9 November 1914, the German cruiser
SMS
Emden
attacked a wireless and cable station at
Direction Island
, attracting the attention of Australian cruiser
HMAS
Sydney
.
[3]
At 11:20, after an hour-and-a-half-long battle, the heavily damaged
Emden
was beached on North Keeling Island.
[3]
In 1915, a Japanese company proposed that the ship be repaired and refloated, but an inspection by
HMAS
Protector
concluded that wave damage to
Emden
made such an operation unfeasible.
[4]
By 1919, there were reports that the wreck had almost completely broken up and disappeared.
[4]
Seabird hunting
[
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]
Between the First and Second World Wars, groups of about 20
Cocos Malays
were stationed on the island for up to a fortnight at a time to harvest timber, coconuts and birds to take back to
Home Island
. In the 1970s and 1980s, the acquisition of more efficient boats and
firearms
led to an increase in seabird hunting and concern about its impact on the seabird breeding colonies.
Pulu Keeling National Park
[
edit
]
In 1986, an agreement was reached between the
Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the Cocos Malay people to restrict and sustainably manage any further hunting on North Keeling. In 1989
Cyclone John
devastated the
red-footed booby
colony on North Keeling and legal hunting ceased to allow the population to recover. Since then no legal hunting has taken place.
[2]
The Pulu Keeling National Park was established on 12 December 1995. It is important as a breeding island for
seabirds
and marine
turtles
. It is home to the endemic
Cocos buff-banded rail
,
Gallirallus philippensis andrewsi
and to the
Cocos angelfish
.
The national park was declared for the following purposes:
- the preservation of the area in its natural condition, and
- the encouragement and regulation of the appropriate use, appreciation and enjoyment of the area by the public
Access is by permit only.
Other protected area status
[
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]
The island is listed as a
wetland
of international importance under the
Ramsar Convention
on 17 March 1996, as Ramsar Site 797. The island has also been identified by
BirdLife International
as an
Important Bird Area
because it supports over 1% of the world populations of
red-footed boobies
,
lesser frigatebirds
and
common noddies
. It has what is possibly the largest red-footed booby colony in the world as well as the second largest population of lesser frigatebirds in Australian territory.
[5]
See also
[
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]
References
[
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External links
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]
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Botanical gardens & national parks
| Botanical gardens
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National parks
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Australian marine parks
| South-west Marine Park Network
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North-west Marine Park Network
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North Marine Park Network
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Coral Sea Marine Park
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Temperate East Marine Park Network
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South-east Marine Parks Network
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Commonwealth Marine Reserves
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Marine parks
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Antarctic Specially Protected Areas
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Reserves held in trust
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Managing authorities
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Related topics
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11°50′S
96°49′E
/
11.833°S 96.817°E
/
-11.833; 96.817