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The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park is located at 27°43′05″S 153°23′04″E. The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park is located within Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay is located on the east coast of Australia, in southern Queensland. Moreton Bay as a whole stretches from its northern tip at Caloundra at the southern end of the Sunshine Coast to the southern end of South Stradbroke Island on the Gold Coast Moreton Bay is a declared marine reserve. Moreton Bay is filled with many small islands, some of which are inhabited, and some of which make up the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park. Moreton Bay is a shallow inlet off the Pacific Ocean, and it is filled with numerous shoals and small islands. The average depth of the bay is 6.8 metres; this allows an array of marine plants to grow which support a diverse range of fauna In recognition of the environmental significance of Moreton Bay it was declared a National Marine Park in 1993 Permanent resident species include dolphins, turtles, dugong, shorebirds, grey nurse sharks and various fish species.

Description
The islands which make up the park lie at the southern extremity of Moreton Bay, to the western side of South Stradbroke Island. The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park lies 44 kilometres south of Brisbane. The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park was declared a National Park in March 2000 It forms part of the Moreton Bay and Pumicestone Passage Important Bird Area, so identified by BirdLife International because it supports large numbers of migratory waders, or shorebirds The park is made up of five islands and encompasses the marine environment from one kilometre offshore to ten kilometres offshore. The islands are named Willes Island, Cobby Cobby Island, Kangaroo Island, Woogoompah Island and Coomera Island. The islands make up a combined land mass greater than 1500 hectares. Significantly, the islands are all surrounded by conservation and marine national park zones. Moreton Bay and the Southern Islands form a vital part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway for migratory birds 8 bird species of international significance live within the park The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park also supports over 355 species of marine invertebrates, at least 43 species of shorebirds, 55 species of algae associated with mangroves, seven species of mangrove and seven species of seagrass. At least 43 species of shorebirds use intertidal habitats in the Bay, including 30 migratory species listed by international migratory bird conservation agreements. East Asian-Australasian Flyway is one of the world’s largest and most threatened migratory bird flyways The flyway supports more than two hundred species of migratory waterbirds. The flyway stretches from non-breeding migration areas in Australia and New Zealand through South-East and East Asia to the breeding areas in the Russian Arctic and Alaskan Arctic The islands which make up the park are relatively small comparative to North and South Stradbroke Islands, despite their size they are home to several rare species of plants. Among the species to be found are Livistona australis rainforest remnants, many mangrove and rainforest areas, and Melaleuca Wetlands

Ecology
The park is noteworthy from an ecological viewpoint for a variety of reasons. Moreton Bay is internationally important for more than 40,000 migratory shorebirds that depend on the Bay during their non-breeding season (reference). The park also hosts a large number of turtles, dugongs and sharks. The extensive mangrove and tidal flats provide a nursery for fish and crustaceans, and also support birds and other marine life. The sand flats provide roosting sites for migratory birds At least 43 species of wading birds use the intertidal habitats, including 30 migratory species listed on international conservation agreements. The greater Moreton Bay area is considered an area of high biodiversity and conservation value

Mangroves
Over half the mangroves for the entire Moreton Bay live on the islands of within the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National. 55 species of algae associated with mangroves and seven species of mangrove live within the park. Mangroves are a key stone species, with the threatened water mouse living among the mangroves roots and the endangered Illidge's ant blue butterfly (Acrodipsas illidgei) living in its forests. Mangrove habitats are well recognized as providing important nursery habitat to juveniles of both coral-reef fishes and invertebrate species A recent study estimated that the total value of the goods and services provided by the earth's natural ecosystems is $33 trillion. The most valuable terrestrial ecosystems, valued at $US4.9 trillion per year, are wetlands: comprised of swamps and floodplains, tidal marshes and mangroves Almost 80% of the economic value of these wetlands came from their role in controlling floods, providing protection from storms, and cycling nutrients and waste ( . Unfortunately these environments are very fragile which can destabilize entire ecosystems . They inhabit mostly the tidal zones washed by the movement of the tides. The threatened water mouse (Xeromys myoides) also lives within the boundaries of the park, generally within the mangroves. The species broadly is sparsely distributed and in no one location is it abundant . It is listed as vulnerable under both the Commonwealth ‘Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999’ and Queensland ‘Nature Conservation Act 1992’, and a national recovery plan for the species has been adopted. The Illidge's ant blue butterfly is restricted to a few coastal mangrove swamps in southern Queensland, Australia. The Illidge's ant blue butterfly has larvae that parasitize colonies of the arboreal ant Crematogaster in or adjacent to mangrove communities. The species is classified as endangered and is found on Coomera Island, the southernmost island within the park. The Illidge’s butterfly is a small inconspicuous butterfly which has a limited distribution. Without mangroves this species would disappear rapidly.

Migratory birds
There are 8 species of waterbirds of international significance within the park. It has been established that migratory birds return annually to the same regions. From September to April each year, migratory wading birds fly into Moreton Bay from Alaska, China, Japan, Mongolia and Siberia. Moreton Bay is an important habitat in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, both as the summer terminus for many shorebirds and as a staging area for many more which migrate onwards to southern parts of the south-east Australian coast and to New Zealand. The park supports more than 20% of the global population the Eastern Curlews (Numenius madagascariensis) recently classified as globally threatened. More than half of the global population of the Grey-tailed Tattlers (Tringa brevipes) reside within the park for part of the year along with, Red-Necked Stints (Calidris ruficollis), Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) and Common Sandpipers (Actitis hypoleucos) which are classified as vulnerable in some states of Australia. There are also Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica), for the Bar-tailed Godwits, the bay is additionally important as this species makes the longest known non-stop flight of any species of bird – from the breeding grounds in Alaska to New Zealand and eastern Australia in a single flight. The Red Knot (Calidris canutus) also undertakes this epic migration on a yearly cycle, though with stops along the way. The subspecies of the Red Knot the Rogersi breeds in north-eastern Siberia and migrates mainly to New Zealand and Australia. The greater Moreton Bay provides habitat for over 3500 resident, and over 40,000 migratory shorebirds, during the summer months. Moreton Bay supports the third highest concentration of migratory waders in Queensland at approximately 10 per cent of the state’s population. Major roosting and feeding sites for shorebirds include open sandy islands and beaches, saltpans and clay pans scattered in and behind the mangrove fringe, freshwater marshes and mangroves. These sites are the same sites used by the resident shorebirds. These sites are in abundance within the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park. Moreton Bay is Queensland’s third, and one of Australia’s top 12, resident shorebird habitats. Two resident species of shorebirds are of international significance due to their conservation status. The beach stone-curlew (Esacus neglectus) and the sooty oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) listed as vulnerable and rare respectively, under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Moreton Bay also has particularly large populations of other birds, such as cormorants, terns, spoonbills, ibises and egrets.

Environmental threats
The Southern Moreton Bay area is in terms of population size and density one of the fastest growing regions in the developed world. 7 of the 30 most common migratory bird species have significantly declining populations. The loss of nesting and feeding grounds and resting places, coupled with hunting of birds, along the length and breadth of the Asia-Pacific region has proved to be a disaster for migratory waterbirds and has resulted in the declines. The migratory behaviour of these shorebirds means that each year they move through a number of countries. Consequently their conservation is dependent on international co-operation. The reliance of large proportions of populations of migratory bird species relying upon one location creates exposure to potential major impacts should substantial loss or reduction of habitat or decline in food resources occur. Throughout the East Asian Australasian Flyway, shorebirds face increasing pressures from growing human populations, with threats including habitat destruction, pollution and hunting. Every summer many wading birds feed on the rich food reserves within the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park. In April they leave to fly thousands of kilometres to breed in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Each time these birds are disturbed by people, dogs or vehicles they waste valuable energy reserves. This makes flying to breeding grounds and producing healthy young more difficult. Butterflies are important flagship taxa for invertebrate conservation. Direct habitat destruction is the most frequent threat to butterflies and other insects, but more specific threats such as pollution or intrusion by exotic species can also result in population declines. The prime management need is to ensure security of remnant mangrove populations supporting Illidge's ant blue butterfly. Climate change also threatens the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park; with more severe tropical cyclones forecast resulting in dune erosion, shoreline recession, and significant ecosystem damage. Climate change also directly affects and threatens the habitat of many species such as the water-rat. Wetlands and mangroves are the lowest points within the catchment and are inevitably affected by land and water management problems upstream. The Moreton Bay area has been populated since European arrival in 1824, and with the region growing at one of the highest rates in the developed world , the region is deeply affected by human activities. When natural river flows are altered, wetlands become less productive, less diverse and less effective in providing other environmental services, this could have far reaching impacts for many other species.

Management
The park is managed by the Queensland Government through the Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing which controls the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Due to the significance of the Moreton Bay area and the species of flora and fauna found within it, the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park is protected under a number of agreements and Acts. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, administered by the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage is concerned with the management and protection of matters of national environmental significance, which include Ramsar sites, listed migratory species and listed threatened species. Through the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service a Shorebird Management Strategy that has been implemented. The Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 1997 contains provisions for managing shorebirds within the park also. The Shorebird Management Strategy provides guidelines for the protection of the parks shorebird populations, by promoting their values and managing threats to their survival. The parks international significance is underscored by being listed under: •	The China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (1974) , •	The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (1983) , •	The Japan–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (1986) , •	The Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (2007) and •	The park is also protected under the Ramsar Convention (1971).

How the protection has benefited species preservation
The protection of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park is based around preserving and protecting the flora and fauna within the park. Being a national park has a number of benefits for the species which reside within the park. The park is foremost protected; everything must be left as it is. This broadly covers all species, both plant and animal, within the park. The use of motorised water vehicles is restricted to preserve the habitat of several species. The migratory birds benefit from this as do the protected marine species, such as the dugongs and the turtles. The status as a national park greatly benefits the migratory birds due to their site fidelity, which sees them return annually. The islands are no longer potentially at risk from disturbance, contamination or habitat destruction. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 established a Commonwealth process for assessment and regulation of actions that are likely to have a significant impact upon the protected area or species. This assessment and regulation protects the significant species within the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park. The islands of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park in particular Woogoompah Island and Coomera Island were previously used for agricultural purposes, such as grazing cattle and pig farming. The remains of cattle yards, a water well and cattle-loading ramp are all still standing on Woogoompah Island. The native flora will have benefited greatly from no longer being exposed to the negative effects of grazing. Pigs cause detrimental impacts to ecosystem processes and functions. Agriculture typically reduces the extent of existing vegetation, rendering the local environment unsuitable for many species originally present (.

The Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park is of great significance due to the number of endangered and vulnerable species which exist within it.