Location of the Albatross Island in Bass Strait | |
Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Bass Strait |
Coordinates | 40°23′S 144°39′E / 40.383°S 144.650°E / -40.383; 144.650 |
Archipelago | Hunter Island Group |
Area | 18 ha (44 acres) |
Administration | |
State | Tasmania |
The Albatross Island, part of the Hunter Island Group, is an 18-hectare (44-acre) island and nature reserve located in Bass Strait, that lies between north-west Tasmania and King Island, Australia. The Peerapper name for the island is Tangatema.[1]
The island is part of the Albatross Island and Black Pyramid Rock Important Bird Area that is notable for its breeding colony of 5,000 pairs of shy albatross, some 40% of the world population of the species.[2][3]
Apart from shy albatross, breeding seabirds and shorebirds include little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion, Pacific gull, silver gull and sooty oystercatcher. A pair of white-bellied sea eagles usually nests there annually. The island is visited regularly by Australian fur seals and New Zealand fur seals. Reptiles include the metallic skink and Tasmanian tree skink.[4]