Public comment is being sought on the draft joint management plan for the proposed conservation and recreation reserves along the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast. The Nyinggulu (Ningaloo) coastal reserves draft joint management plan 2019 covers 70,400 hectares of coast, including the terrestrial portion of Ningaloo Marine Park and adjacent unallocated Crown land from Red Bluff to Winderabandi. The creation of the proposed reserves will enable conservation of the significant natural and cultural values along the coast, and importantly provide ongoing access and recreational opportunities for all Western Australians and other visitors. The area will be jointly managed by the Gnulli native title claimants and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, with an Indigenous Land Use Agreement expected to be finalised this year. The draft…

Four northern rockhopper penguins have been released in waters off Augusta, after surprising wildlife officers and beach goers with a visit to the South West. The threatened species usually live on islands close to Antarctica, more than three thousand kilometres south-west of Western Australia. While there are no resident populations on the mainland or inshore islands of Australia, Pia Courtis from the Parks and Wildlife Service said northern rockhopper penguins have been recorded visiting our beaches during the summer months. “They are usually looking for refuge during their three-week annual moult period, during which time they are unable to enter the water and usually do not feed,” Ms Courtis said. In the past year, 10 rockhopper penguins have been found on beaches between Jurien Bay…