Hippolyte Rocks (23952)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Hippolyte Rocks

Central coordinates: Latitude: -43.1207, Longitude: 148.0475

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 65

Area of KBA (km²): 0.05806

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Hippolyte Rock is a flat-topped granite island 5 km north-east of Cape Huay on the Tasman Peninsula of south-east Tasmania. It has spectacular cliffs up to 65 m in height, and the flat top slopes gently to the summit at the south-east end. The ten plant species present on the island include Poa poiformis, Tetragonia implexicoma and Carpobrotus rossii. Burrow nesting birds are limited by shallow soil, and the shallowness of burrows causes birds to be accessible to predation by Forest Raven. Boats land with difficulty. The IBA also includes the Thumbs, a 0.45 ha rock comprising three spires to the north-west of Hippolyte.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.

Additional biodiversity: Hippolyte Rock also supports Peregrine Falcon, one pair of Sooty Shearwater, 3000 pairs of Fairy Prion and 1000-2000 pairs of Short-tailed Shearwater. Additionally, Australasian Gannet regularly loaf on the island, raising the possibility that this species could form a new breeding colony there. The Thumbs also support 20 pairs of Common Diving-Petrel. Non-bird biodiversity: Metallic Skink; Australian and New Zealand Fur Seal.

Other site values: Tasmanian State Government with responsibility for management with Tasmanian NPWS. Permission should be sought from DPIW before visiting these protected islands.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	100

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Investigate impact of threats from fishing nets, shooting and tourist boats. If necessary, regulate tourist charter boats which may disturb nesting birds.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Biological resource use	Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources	Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing

Additional information

References: Brothers, N.P. and Skira, I.J. (1983) Hippolyte Rocks, Tasmania. Corella 7: 80-82. Brothers, N., Pemberton, D., Pryor, H. and Halley, V. (2001) Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart.