Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01389:body:0:p84
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L01389
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 235979–238830

Island and at the southern atoll. The island gregory has limited distribution and may be considered endemic to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island (there is also a separate population or sub-species on Marcus Island in the Pacific Ocean) (Hobbs 2010). The current Ramsar Information Sheet for the site was prepared prior to the discovery of the island gregory damselfish in park waters. This species will be incorporated into the Ramsar Information Sheet when next reviewed.
In addition, the park supports a number of plant and animal species that are not recorded in the southern atoll islands. It has been suggested that this is due to the lack of human activity in the Ramsar site (Williams 1994; Stokes 1994). Stokes et al. 1984 described North Keeling Island as one of the few remaining pristine tropical islands in the Indian Ocean. As such the park, which supports flora and fauna that no longer occurs on the southern atoll islands, is important in maintaining biodiversity within the bioregion.
Criterion 4: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.
The park supports 13 species of waterbird listed as migratory under international treaties (see Appendix E) and two species of migratory turtles (green and hawksbill). In addition, the site support breeding of 15 species of waterbirds; including the red-footed booby (Sula sula); lesser frigatebird (Fregata ariel), great frigatebird (Fregata minor) and common noddy (Anous stolidus) that all breed in significant numbers within the Ramsar site (Parks Australia 2004).
Criterion 5: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
The park regularly supports more than 30,000 pairs of red-footed booby; up to 15,000 common noddy and 3,000 greater and lesser frigate birds (Stokes et al. 1984).
Criterion 6: A wetland should be considered internationally important if it regularly supports one percent of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
The park regularly supports 30,000 breeding pairs of red-footed booby (six per cent of the global population) and 3,000 breeding pairs of lesser frigatebirds (three per cent of the global population).
Since listing, there is no evidence of any significant changes in the coral reef areas of the park, or in numbers of birds. However, in 2005, the lagoon entrance closed (as a result of natural forces of deposition) which has lead to significant changes within this habitat (Hobbs 2010). The closure of the lagoon has impacted on water quality and the seagrass beds which were previously foraging habitat for green and hawksbill turtle. It is estimated that there are several thousand hawksbill