The terrestrial, freshwater and relatively shallow marine waters (< 1,000 metres) of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) Marine Reserve provide critical habitat for a range of plant and animal species.
The table below lists those species of breeding birds, non-breeding birds, seals and cetaceans found in the Reserve and which have conservation status under national legislation and national and international agreements as threatened and/or migratory species.
The international agreements referred to above include:
- Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP)
- Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention)
- Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the Protection of Migratory Birds and their Environment (CAMBA)
- Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of Japan for the Protection of Migratory Birds and Birds in Danger of Extinction and their Environment (JAMBA).
Conservation plans
A number recovery plans and threat abatement plans made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 for listed threatened species, and other national actions plans, are relevant to the protection and management of species found in the Reserve. These include:
- Recovery Plan for Albatrosses and Giant Petrels 2001
- Subantarctic Fur Seal and Southern Elephant Seal Recovery Plan
- Threat Abatement Plan for the Incidental Catch (or By-catch) of Seabirds During Oceanic Longline Fishing Operations
- Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000
- Action Plan for Australian Cetaceans 1999
- Action Plan for Australian Seals 1999.
More information about conservation plans for threatened species is available from the Threatened Species pages of the Department of the Environment and Heritage website.
Conservation status of HIMI fauna
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Conservation Status |
|---|---|---|
| Aptenodytes patagonicus | king penguin | S |
| Catharacta lonnbergi | subantarctic skua | S |
| Chionis minor nasicornis (e) | Heard Island sheathbill | |
| Daption capense | cape petrel | S |
| Diomeda exulans | wandering albatross | VSMBJA |
| Diomeda melanophrys | black-browed albatross | SMBA |
| Eudyptes chrysocome | southern rockhopper penguin | S |
| Eudyptes chrysolophus | macaroni penguin | S |
| Larus dominicanus | kelp gull | S |
| Macronectes giganteus | southern giant petrel | ESMBA |
| Oceanites oceanicus | Wilson’s storm petrel | SMJ |
| Pachyptila crassirostris | fulmar prion | S |
| Pachyptila desolata | Antarctic prion | S |
| Pelecanoides georgicus | South Georgian diving petrel | S |
| Pelecanoides urinatrix | common diving petrel | S |
| Phalacrocorax atriceps (e) | Heard Island cormorant | VS |
| Phoebetria palpebrata | light mantled sooty albatross | SMBA |
| Pygoscelis papua | gentoo penguin | S |
| Sterna vittata | Antarctic tern | VS |
(e) – Taxon endemic to the HIMI; A – Listed under ACAP; B – Species listed under the Bonn Convention; C – Listed under CAMBA; E – Listed under the EPBC Act as endangered; F – In a family listed under the Bonn Convention; J – Listed under JAMBA; M – Listed under the EPBC Act as migratory species (listed under the Bonn Convention, and/or CAMBA and/or JAMBA); S - Listed marine species under the EPBC Act; V – Listed under the EPBC Act as vulnerable; W – Whales and other cetaceans under the EPBC Act
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Conservation Status |
|---|---|---|
| Catharacta maccormicki | south polar skua | SMJ |
| Diomedea epomophora | southern royal albatross | VSMBA |
| Fregetta grallaria | white-bellied storm petrel | S |
| Fregetta tropica | black-bellied storm petrel | S |
| Fulmarus glacialoides | southern fulmar | S |
| Garrodia nereis | grey-backed storm petrel | S |
| Halobaena caerulea | blue petrel | VS |
| Macronectes halli | northern giant petrel | VSMBA |
| Pachyptila belcheri | narrow-billed petrel | S |
| Pachyptila vittata | broad-billed petrel | S |
| Pagodroma nivea | snow petrel | S |
| Phoebetria fusca | sooty albatross | VSMBA |
| Procellaria aequinoctialis | white chinned petrel | SMBA |
| Procellaria cinerea | grey petrel | SMB |
| Pterodroma baraui | Barau's petrel | S |
| Pterodroma brevirostris | Kerguelen petrel | S |
| Pterodroma inexpectata | mottled petrel | S |
| Pterodroma lessonii | white-headed petrel | S |
| Pterodroma macroptera | great-winged petrel | S |
| Pterodroma mollis | soft-plumaged petrel | VS |
| Pygoscelis adeliae | Adélie penguin | S |
| Pygoscelis antarctica | chinstrap penguin | S |
| Sterna paradisaea | Arctic tern | S |
| Thalassarche chlororhynchos | yellow-nosed albatross | SMB |
| Thalassarche chrysostoma | grey-headed albatross | VSMB |
| Thalassoica antarctica | Antarctic petrel | S |
| Tringa nebularia | greenshank | SMBJC |
(e) – Taxon endemic to the HIMI; A – Listed under ACAP; B – Species listed under the Bonn Convention; C – Listed under CAMBA; E – Listed under the EPBC Act as endangered; F – In a family listed under the Bonn Convention; J – Listed under JAMBA; M – Listed under the EPBC Act as migratory species (listed under the Bonn Convention, and/or CAMBA and/or JAMBA); S - Listed marine species under the EPBC Act; V – Listed under the EPBC Act as vulnerable; W – Whales and other cetaceans under the EPBC Act
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Conservation Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arctocephalus gazella | Antarctic fur seal | S |
| Arctocephalus tropicalis | subantarctic fur seal | VS |
| Hydrurga leptonyx | leopard seal | S |
| Leptonychotes weddelli | Weddell seal | S |
| Lobodon carcinophagus | crabeater seal | S |
| Mirounga leonina | southern elephant seal | VS |
| Ommatophoca rossi | Ross seal | S |
(e) – Taxon endemic to the HIMI; A – Listed under ACAP; B – Species listed under the Bonn Convention; C – Listed under CAMBA; E – Listed under the EPBC Act as endangered; F – In a family listed under the Bonn Convention; J – Listed under JAMBA; M – Listed under the EPBC Act as migratory species (listed under the Bonn Convention, and/or CAMBA and/or JAMBA); S - Listed marine species under the EPBC Act; V – Listed under the EPBC Act as vulnerable; W – Whales and other cetaceans under the EPBC Act
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Conservation Status |
|---|---|---|
| Balaena australis | southern right whale | EWMB |
| Balaenoptera acutorostrata | Minke whale | W |
| Balaenoptera bonaerensis | Antarctic Minke whale | W |
| Balaenoptera borealis | Sei whale | VW |
| Balaenoptera musculus | blue whale | EWMB |
| Balaenoptera physalus | fin whale | VW |
| Berardius arnuxii | Arnoux’s beaked whale | W |
| Globicephala melas | long-finned pilot whale | W |
| Hyperoodon planifrons | southern bottlenose whale | WMB |
| Lagenorhynchus cruciger | hourglass dolphin | W |
| Lagenorhynchus obscurus | dusky dolphin | WMB |
| Megaptera novaeangliae | humpback whale | VWMB |
| Mesoplodon layardii | Strap-toothed beaked whale | W |
| Orcinus orca | killer whale | WMB |
| Phocoena dioptrica | spectacled porpoise | WMB |
| Physeter macrocephalus | sperm whale | W |
(e) – Taxon endemic to the HIMI; A – Listed under ACAP; B – Species listed under the Bonn Convention; C – Listed under CAMBA; E – Listed under the EPBC Act as endangered; F – In a family listed under the Bonn Convention; J – Listed under JAMBA; M – Listed under the EPBC Act as migratory species (listed under the Bonn Convention, and/or CAMBA and/or JAMBA); S - Listed marine species under the EPBC Act; V – Listed under the EPBC Act as vulnerable; W – Whales and other cetaceans under the EPBC Act