Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area
Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Covering an area of , it is the second largest protected area in British Columbia after Offshore Pacific Seamounts and Vents Closure and is the largest national wildlife area in Canada. Geography. The national wildlife area protects a large area of the Pacific Ocean and Queen Charlotte Sound surrounding Cape Scott and the Scott Islands. The islands themselves are already protected by the provincially-designated protected areas of Lanz and Cox Islands Provincial  Park, Beresford Island Ecological Reserve, Sartine Island Ecological Reserve, and Anne Vallee Ecological Reserve. Ecology. Flora. The waters surrounding the islands host kelp beds. Fauna. The Scott Islands provide critical breeding and nesting habitat for 40% of British Columbia's seabirds. Bird species of note include tufted puffin, short-tailed albatross, black-footed albatross, Cassin's auklet, rhinoceros auklet, common murre, marbled murrelet, ancient murrelet, pink-footed shearwater, sooty shearwater, and bald eagle. Resident mammal species include sea otter, northern sea lion, orca, humpback whale, and gray whale.