Tucked away in Tasmania, Australia - the Macquarie Island is home to a large number of penguins and seals.
When was this island found
The Macquarie Island was discovered by Captain Frederick Hasselburgh on a sealing expedition in 1810. It was named after Colonel Lachlan Macquarie, the fifth Governor of New South Wales.
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean
In 1933, this island was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary. Later in 1972 and 1977, it was recognised as a State Nature Reserve and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve respectively. You can embark on a Heritage Expedition to explore this unique island. It is a hotspot among wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and conservationists due to its natural beauty and wildlife. You’ll find interesting details about this island in the comprehensive book ‘
Galapagos of the Southern Ocean’ written by biologist and Heritage Expeditions founder, Rodney Russ. From the mention of its unique climate to endemic wildlife found here to lesser known tidbits, you’ll find them all in this book.
The Dogs That Saved Macquarie Island
Image courtesy: www.linns.com
On a 2015 souvenir sheet, you’ll find a set of four stamps illustrating the story of how the dogs saved this island. Rabbits and other non-native species which were imported to this island were destroying the unique habitat of this place. Several measures were implemented to solve this issues but none worked. Finally, the Australian government brought rabbit-detector dogs like Labradors, Terriers and Springer Spaniels who successfully spotted the rabbits and thus saved the natural beauty of this island.
Catch a glimpse of
Seals
You’ll find seal species which include New Zealand Fur seal and the Southern Elephant seals wallowing together or playing on the beach. The male adults weigh from 1000 kg to about 4000 kg and are approximately 4 metres in length. If you happen to visit this island during summers, you can spot young seals on the beach.
Penguins
This island is home to four types of penguin species; they include royal penguins, rockhopper penguins and the king penguins. On your
holiday to this island, the splendid sight of these penguins is sure to remind you of the popular Hollywood movie ‘Happy Feet’.
Author : Vijaylaxmi Thakur
