Cook Island Aquatic Reserve

Cook Iceland Aquatic Reserve is a 73 hectare marine reserve in the Tasman Sea, a marginal sea of ​​the South Pacific Ocean, about 600 meters from Fingal Head on the mainland of New South Wales located in Australia. Cook Iceland was discovered by James Cook in 1770. The rocky island is now known as a hotbed of sea birds and a rich marine fauna.

History

Cook charted the coastline. Then sat Cook continued his journey along the east coast of Australia to the north and named two nearby mountains, the Mount Warning and Point Danger after he had nearly shipwrecked there.

1823 John Oxley anchored off the island, because he sought protection from the strong southern winds. Two men of his crew landed on her and called it Turtle Iceland ( German: Turtle Island ) because they found there sea turtles. They also discovered an unidentified shipwreck. Five years later, the British Admiral Henry John Rous, who discovered the Tweed River, to the island and named it Cook 's Isle. It bears this name today.

The Australian spear fisherman Ben Cropp reported that he had seen a European cargo ship that went down on the island in the 16th century.

To reserve the island on 23 October 1998 was appointed and managed by the Department of Environment and Climate Change in New South Wales and since 2004 also by the Department of Primary Industries.

Flora and Fauna

Cook Iceland is a breeding ground for many seabirds, such as terns and shearwaters. The zone surrounding the island has a rich fauna and by the officer in charge of the coast and waterways of the Tweed Shire Council Tom Alletson is an important habitat of sharks.

The sea around Iceland Cook includes various species of fish such as clown fish, Bull Eyes, grouper, trigger fish, parrot fish, puffers, surgeonfish, sweetlips and trevally. There are also a large number of other species, such as brittle stars, flatworms, Caridea and nudibranchs. Other indigenous animals are crustaceans, green turtles, jellyfish, clams and stingrays. The marine area of the island is visited by leopards ( Brachaelurus Waddi ), carpet ( Triakis semifasciata ) and blind sharks.

Teppichhai

Leopardenhai

Tourist information

The protected area around the island, which extends in the sea up to a distance of 500 meters, shall be prohibited. Water sports such as diving and swimming is possible.