King George Sound - Fauna

Fauna

The sound comprises a wide variety of habitats that supports an abundance of marine life. Many species of corals are present including Turbinaria frondens, Turbinaria mesenterina and Turbinaria renformis which cover an extensive area. Other coral species that can be found include Scolymia australis, Plesiastrea versipora, Coscinaraea mcneilli and Coscinaraea marshae.

A large, wild mussel population was known to exist in the sound, and now commercial mussel farms operate within the area that grow and harvest Blue mussels.

It is estimated that 203 species of fish inhabit the Oyster Harbour, Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound, with Australian Pilchards Sardinops sagax neopilchardus making up 97% of the total fish catch. Other species that are commonly found include Australian Herring, leatherjackets, cobbler, King George Whiting, Tailor, Australian Anchovy, Garfish, Sand Trevally, Tarwhine, Flathead, Tuna, Snapper, Australian Salmon, Yellowtail scad, Sea Mullet, Striped trumpeter, Long-toothed flounder, Dusky morwong and Long-finned goby.

Seals are known to inhabit the sound in various locations along the coast and on the islands. The species that are sighted most often are the Australian Sea Lion and the New Zealand Fur Seal. Species that have been sighted, but are considered to be occasional visitors, include the Subantarctic Fur Seal and the Leopard Seal.

Dolphins are also found in the area, and are occasionally caught and drowned in fishing nets or stranded. The Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis and the Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncates have both been recorded in the area.

Southern Right Whales and Humpback whales frequent the area between the months of July and October when they congregate to mate and calve in the protected waters of the sound. Other whales that have been spotted in the area include Minke Whales, Blue Whales, Short-Finned Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales and Killer Whales. Sperm Whales were known to visit the sound during the whaling era but none have been sighted recently, although a pod was detected further out in the Southern Ocean in 2002.

The sound becomes a perfect habitat for migratory wading birds during the summer, when an estimated 2,000-3,000 birds flock to the area to feed in the shallow mudflats of the harbours. Some of the species that can be found during the summer months include the red-necked stint and the red knot as well as sandpipers, Grey Plovers, Red capped plovers, Lesser Sand Plovers, Grey-tailed tattlers, whimbrels, common greenshanks, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, White-faced Heron and stilts. Other birds that are commonly seen around the sound include cormorants, Pied Oystercatchers, Sooty Oystercatchers, Pacific gulls, Caspian terns, pelicans, osprey and White-bellied Sea Eagle.