Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park is located off Kangaroo Island, about 230 kilometres south-west of Adelaide and adjacent to the South Australia Kangaroo Island Marine Park. It includes representative examples of habitats and ecosystems of the Spencer Gulf Shelf. Here seasonal winds and ocean currents interact with seafloor features to produce a number of small seasonal upwellings that are important for biological productivity. The area is noted for its diverse seafloor communities, productivity hotspots and aggregations of marine life associated with the seasonal upwellings of nutrient-rich water.
Research
These short articles highlight the findings from ongoing scientific research within the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park, including exciting new discoveries and ideas for future projects.
Small and/or camouflaged fish species hidden on or near the reef surface are commonly referred to as ‘cryptic’ or ‘cryptobenthic’ fishes. These species are characteristically difficult to see but are diverse and abundant throughout Australian Marine Parks and may play an important role in supporting the larger predatory fish species protected within park boundaries.
Parks Australia manage 60 Australian Marine Parks, many of which include shallow reefs. These reef habitats are hugely diverse, and include tropical reefs dominated by hard corals; current-swept offshore bommies covered in sea whips, sea fans and soft corals; temperate rocky reefs with sea urchin barrens or low lying colourful seaweeds; and deeper rocky reefs with sessile invertebrates and large black coral trees.
Ever wondered what the weird and wonderful inhabitants of Australia’s Marine National Parks look like?
Natural values
Our marine parks have a number of different values, including natural, cultural, heritage and socio-economic values. The natural values of our marine parks refer to the habitats, species and ecological communities within them, and the processes that support their connectivity, productivity and function. Below are the key datasets that help inform park managers about the natural values that exist within our network of Australian Marine Parks. For more information on other park values refer to the relevant park Management Plans on the Parks Australia website.
See which wetlands of international significance are protected by Australian Marine Parks.
Maps
The information provided by these datasets was integral in the planning and development of our national network of marine parks. Learn in detail about how scientists and marine park planners used these important marine features together to design Australia's network of marine parks, or explore the datasets for the Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park individually through the links below.
See which areas of Australia's marine environments have been World Heritage listed.
Latest maps
Since the initial planning of the Australian Marine Parks Network in 2012, new mapping data has emerged that allows us to see in finer detail the features that exist within our parks. These datasets help marine managers to understand more about what's under the surface, where there are overlaying management or protection regimes, and/or where pressures on the marine environment may be increasing.
Find out where the seafloor has been mapped with sonar across the Marine Parks.
Scientific papers
The following publications contain information relevant to the Western Kangaroo Island marine park and adjacent waters. Click on the links to access to the publications.
Briceno, F, Linnane, A. J, Quiroz, J. C, Gardner, C and Pecl, G. T. (2015).
Predation Risk within Fishing Gear and Implications for South Australian Rock Lobster Fisheries.
Gill, P. C., Pirzl, R., Morrice, M. G. and Lawton, K. (2015).
Cetacean diversity of the continental shelf and slope off southern Australia.
Laurent, C.M. (2015).
Stochastic analysis of deep sea oil spill trajectories in the Great Australian Bight.
Segawa, T and Kemper, C. (2015).
Cetacean strandings in South Australia (1881-2008).
Shaughnessy, P.D , Goldsworthy, S.D, Hamer, D.J, Page, B and McIntosh, R.R. (2014).
Records of vagrant fur seals (family Otariidae) in South Australia.
Ward, T.M, Ivey, A.R and Carroll, J.D. (2014).
Spawning biomass of sardine, Sardinops sagax, in waters off South Australia in 2014.
Kemper, C. M, Middleton, J. F and van Ruth, P. D. (2013).
Association between pygmy right whales (Caperea marginata) and areas of high marine productivity off Australia and New Zealand.
Lowther, A. D, Harcourt, R. G, Page, B and Goldsworthy, S. D. (2013).
Steady as he goes: at-sea movement of adult male Australian sea lions in a dynamic marine environment.
Bryars, S, Rogers, P, Huveneers, C, Payne, N, Smith, I and McDonald, B. (2012).
Small home range in southern Australia's largest resident reef fish, the western blue groper (Achoerodus gouldii): implications for adequacy of no-take marine protected areas.
Lowther, A. D, Harcourt, R. G, Goldsworthy, S. D and Stow, A. (2012).
Population structure of adult female Australian sea lions is driven by fine-scale foraging site fidelity.
McIntosh, R. R, Goldsworthy, S. D, Shaughnessy, P. D, Kennedy, C. W and Burch, P. (2012).
Estimating pup production in a mammal with an extended and aseasonal breeding season, the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea).
Gibbs, S. E, Harcourt, R. G and Kemper, C. M. (2011).
Niche differentiation of bottlenose dolphin species in South Australia revealed by stable isotopes and stomach contents.
Gill, P. C, Morrice, M. G, Page, B, Pirzl, R, Levings, A. H and Coyne, M. (2011).
Blue whale habitat selection and within-season distribution in a regional upwelling system off southern Australia.
Shaughnessy, P. D, Goldsworthy, S. D, Hamer, D. J, Page, B and McIntosh, R. R. (2011).
Australian sea lions Neophoca cinerea at colonies in South Australia: distribution and abundance, 2004 to 2008.
Government, Australian (2007).
The South-west Marine Bioregional Plan: Bioregional Profile.
Middleton, J. F and Bye, J. A. (2007).
A review of the shelf-slope circulation along Australia's southern shelves: Cape Leeuwin to Portland.
Middleton, J. F, Arthur, C, Van Ruth, P, Ward, T. M, McClean, J. L, Maltrud, M. E, Gill, P, Levings, A and Middleton, S. (2007).
El Nino effects and upwelling off South Australia.
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