Marine life
Researchers have identified over 530 species of reef fish in the park.
- More than half are primarily tropical, about 13% are subtropical and 10% are primarily temperate. The others are tropical–subtropical or subtropical–temperate.
- More than 30% are endemic to Australia – meaning they are not found anywhere else. Of these, about 12% are found only on the east coast, and 5% only on the subtropical east coast.
The rocky reefs support:
- 91 hard coral species, which form unique communities of tropical, subtropical and temperate species;
- reef-associated fish, including snapper, tusk-fish, blue morwong and pearl perch;
- Pelagics, including kingfish.
Also living in the reefs are:
- more than 700 molluscs (shelled animals like shellfish, nudibranchs and cuttlefish);
- crustaceans (crabs, rock lobsters and shrimps);
- echinoderms (urchins and seastars);
- marine worms.
At least 35 shark and ray and 30 marine mammal species have been recorded in the Marine Park.
More than 120 coastal and marine bird species are found in the region too.
