Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve, Marine reserve in Southern Ocean, Australia
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve is a protected ocean area in the Southern Ocean surrounding two remote, uninhabited island groups. The reserve covers a vast expanse of sea and protects the waters where seals, penguins, and seabirds live and feed.
The reserve was established in 2002 to protect the marine ecosystems of this isolated region. A major expansion in 2014 extended protection across a significantly larger ocean area.
Research stations within the reserve contribute scientific data about marine ecosystems, climate change impacts, and wildlife populations in subantarctic environments.
This area lies about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) southwest of mainland Australia and is not accessible to regular visitors. Only scientific expeditions with special permits are allowed to operate within the reserve.
The region is home to rare subantarctic species found in very few other places in the world. This remote location makes it an important site for studying marine environments with minimal human influence.
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