Flat Witch Island

Flat Witch Island, also known as Little Witch, is a 64 ha island in south-eastern Australia. It is part of the Maatsuyker Island Group, lying close to the southern end of the south-western coast of Tasmania. Its highest point is over 100 m asl. It is part of the Southwest National Park, and thus within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.[1] The island is part of the Maatsuyker Island Group Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds.[2]

Fauna

Recorded breeding seabird and wader species are the Little Penguin (400 pairs), Short-tailed Shearwater (500,000 pairs), Fairy Prion (10,000 pairs), Common Diving-Petrel (100 pairs), Pacific Gull, Silver Gull and Sooty Oystercatcher. The Swamp Antechinus has been recorded. Australian and New Zealand Fur Seals use a haul-out site on the south side of the island, and the latter species has bred there in small numbers. The Tasmanian Tree Skink is present.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X
  2. ^ BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Maatsuyker Island Group. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 09/08/2011.