Nicolas Baudin Island Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicolas Baudin Island Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)
Nicolas Baudin Island Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Streaky Bay.
Established	16 January 2003
Area	94 ha (230 acres)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

The Nicolas Baudin Island Conservation Park is a special protected area in South Australia. It includes Nicolas Baudin Island and the water around it. The park is located off Cape Blanche on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. It's about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Streaky Bay.

This park was created on January 16, 2003. Its main goal is to protect a very important place where Australian sea lions have their babies. It's a safe home for them.

Why This Park Is Important

This park is super important for Australian sea lions. Scientists have found that a large group of these sea lions live and have their young here. It's also special because New Zealand fur seals live side-by-side with the sea lions.

Just south of the park is Point Labatt. This place has the biggest mainland breeding colony of Australian sea lions. Scientists believe the sea lions from Nicolas Baudin Island and Point Labatt often interact. This means they might visit each other's colonies.

Park Size and Rules

The Nicolas Baudin Island Conservation Park covers about 94 hectares (232 acres). This includes the island itself, which is about 10 hectares (25 acres), and the seabed around it.

To keep the animals safe, some parts of the park are "prohibited areas." This means people are not allowed to enter these specific spots. These rules help make sure that the breeding sea lions and fur seals are not disturbed. This allows them to raise their young in peace.

Protecting Nature

This conservation park is classified as an IUCN Category Ia protected area. This is the highest level of protection. It means the park is a "Strict Nature Reserve." The main purpose is to protect wildlife and natural processes without human interference. This helps keep the sea lion and fur seal populations healthy and safe for the future.