Carnac Island facts for kids
Carnac Island seen from the east
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 416: Malformed coordinates value. | |
| Etymology | John Rivett-Carnac |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Area | 19 ha (47 acres) |
| Administration | |
| State | Western Australia |
| Local Government Area | City of Cockburn |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
Carnac Island is a special island in Western Australia. Its local Noongar language name is Ngoorloormayup, which means 'place of little brother'. It is a nature reserve, meaning it is protected.
The island is about 19 hectares (47 acres) in size. It is located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Fremantle. It is also about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) north of Garden Island.
Contents
History of Carnac Island
Carnac Island is made of old limestone rocks. These rocks were once sand dunes from a very long time ago.
How Carnac Island Got Its Name
In 1803, a French explorer named Louis de Freycinet visited the island. He was the captain of a ship called the Casuarina. He named the island Île Pelée, which means 'Bald Island' in French. It was also known by other French names later on.
In 1827, James Stirling changed the island's name. He called it Pulo Carnac Island. This was to honor John Rivett-Carnac, who was a Second Lieutenant on Stirling's ship, the HMS Success. 'Pulo' means 'island' in the Malay language. It's not clear why Stirling used this word, but it was soon dropped.
Past Uses of the Island
From 1836 to 1837, Carnac Island was used as a whaling station. This was a place where people hunted whales. They even moved Perth's first church building to the island to use as a storage shed! But it was left empty after only a few years.
For a short time in 1838, the island was used as a prison. The government of the Swan River Colony declared it a prison for some indigenous Australians. There were only two guards, an overseer, and three prisoners. The conditions were very lonely. Because of this, the soldiers helped the prisoners escape using a stolen government boat.
In 1884, the government said the island would be a quarantine station for Fremantle. A quarantine station is a place to keep sick people or animals separate. This helps stop diseases from spreading. However, it seems the island was never actually used for this purpose.
Later, in 1916, the Australian Federal Government took control of the island. They used it for defense purposes. Then, in 1961, the island was given back to the State of Western Australia.
Animals of Carnac Island
Carnac Island is home to many interesting animals. You can find Australian sea lions and bottlenose dolphins in the waters around it. New Zealand fur seals also visit the island often. There are also many different types of sea birds.
Rabbits and Snakes
Rabbits used to live on the island in large numbers from 1827 to 1897. But they were all removed by 1969.
The island is especially famous for its many snakes. It has a very large number of tiger snakes. There can be up to three tiger snakes in every 25 square meters (269 square feet)! Because of so many snakes, most people do not walk away from the beach. This is why it is important that the island is a nature reserve.
There is no fresh water on the island. This makes it hard for the animals that live there. Scientists have studied the tiger snakes to see how they live in such a tough place. People also wonder how the snakes first got to the island. One idea is that in 1929, a man named Lindsay "Rocky" Vane left his snake collection there. He did this after snake shows were banned in Western Australia. This happened after his wife and assistant died from snake bites.
King skinks also live on the island. There is evidence that these lizards sometimes fight with the tiger snakes.
Blind Snakes and Bird Protection
In 2006, famous naturalist David Attenborough visited the island. He came with a BBC film crew to make a documentary about reptiles. Attenborough talked about how many of the tiger snakes on the island are blind. This happens because birds try to protect their chicks by pecking at the snakes' eyes.
Even though they are blind, these snakes survive well. They use their sense of smell to find food. They often eat seabird chicks that cannot move. Carnac Island is the only place where this has been seen. Another interesting fact is that there are many more male tiger snakes than female ones on the island. This is another mystery about the island's snake population.
Important Bird Area
Carnac Island is known as an Important Bird Area. This means it is a very important place for birds. It has a large group of fairy terns, which are a vulnerable type of bird. Other seabirds also nest there.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Carnac para niños
