Seal Bay Conservation Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seal Bay Conservation Park South Australia
IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area)
Australian sea lions on beach at Seal Bay Conservation Park
Seal Bay Conservation Park Location in South Australia
Nearest town or city	Kingscote
Established	27 April 1967 (1967-04-27)
Area	63.67 km2 (24.6 sq mi)
Visitation	101,595 (in 2014-15)
Managing authorities	Department for Environment and Water
Website	Seal Bay Conservation Park
See also	Protected areas of South Australia

Seal Bay Conservation Park is a special protected area. It is found on the south coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. This park is super important because it's home to the third largest group of Australian sea lions in Australia!

Many people love to visit Seal Bay. It's one of the most popular places on Kangaroo Island. To keep the sea lions safe, visitors can only go onto the beach with a paid guided tour. This helps protect these amazing animals.

Exploring Seal Bay Conservation Park

Where is Seal Bay Located?

Seal Bay Conservation Park is in South Australia. It's on the southern coast of Kangaroo Island. This is about 50 kilometers south of Kingscote, a main town. The park is part of the area officially called Seal Bay.

What Does the Park Include?

The conservation park is part of a larger group of protected areas. These areas stretch along the coast. They go from Vivonne Bay in the west to D'Estrees Bay in the east.

The park itself includes several pieces of land. These are bordered by roads like South Coast Road and West Bay Road. The beautiful coastline forms its southern edge. The park also includes a small island called Nobby Islet.

You can get to the visitor areas by Seal Bay Road. This road leads to Bales Beach and overlooks the water known as Seal Bay.

Why is Seal Bay Protected?

Seal Bay Conservation Park is a special type of protected area. It's classified as an IUCN Category VI protected area. This means it's a place where nature is protected. It also allows for people to use natural resources in a way that doesn't harm the environment. This helps keep the sea lions safe while allowing visitors to learn about them.

The History of Protecting Seal Bay

How Sea Lions Became Protected

For a long time, people hunted sea lions on Kangaroo Island. After 1945, they were still hunted for shark bait. In 1953, a group called the Field Naturalists Society of South Australia asked for sea lions to be protected. The Royal Society of South Australia and the tourism industry also supported this idea.

So, on October 28, 1954, a special area was created. It was called a "closed area" for sea lions. This area stretched from Nobby Islet to Cape Gantheaume at Seal Beach. This was a big step in protecting them.

Growing Popularity and Protection

Organized tours to Seal Bay started in 1955. A local person on Kangaroo Island began these tours. By 1969, over 7,500 tourists visited the area. Many more came in private cars.

The number of visitors kept growing. In 1974, about 25,000 to 30,000 people visited. By 1994, it was 70,000 people. In 2014-2015, over 100,000 people came to see the sea lions!

On April 27, 1967, the area became a "fauna reserve." This meant it was a place to protect animals. Two "prohibited areas" were also added. These areas protected the sea lions' breeding spots from being disturbed.

Later, in 1971, the waters near Seal Beach also became protected. This was called an "aquatic reserve." Then, in 1972, the reserve was officially named the Seal Bay Conservation Park. This happened under a new law called the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. In 1980, the park was even listed on the now-closed Register of the National Estate. This showed how important it was.

Other Protected Areas Nearby

Seal Bay Conservation Park works with three other protected areas. These areas help support the park's goals. They include the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve, the Bales Beach Aquatic Reserve, and the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park. All these places work together to protect the amazing wildlife and environment.

Gallery

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  Board walk

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  Visitor centre

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  Sea lions on the beach

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  Sea lion on beach