Waychinicup National Park
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = protected
| name = Waychinicup National Park
| state = wa
| iucn_category = II
| image = Waychinicup1.jpg
| caption = Waychinicup Inlet
| image_alt =
| local_map = yes
| zoom = 10
| coordinates = {{coord|34|52|38|S|118|22|20|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief = yes
| pushpin_label_position = top
| map_alt =
| nearest_town_or_city = Albany
| area = 39.82
| established = 1990
| established_footnotes =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| visitation_footnotes =
| managing_authorities = Department of Environment and Conservation
| url = http://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/waychinicup
}}
Waychinicup National Park is in Western Australia, {{convert|404|km|mi|0}} southeast of Perth and {{convert|65|km|mi|0}} east of Albany, along the coast of the Southern Ocean.
Location and description
The park is bordered by the Southern Ocean to the south, Mount Manypeaks Nature Reserve to the east, and agricultural land to the north. Its coastline runs between Normans Beach and Cheynes Beach, near Bremer Bay.{{cite web|url=http://www.cloudninespachalets.com.au/page_2.html|title=Rainbow Coast - Great Southern Attractions|year=2010|access-date=12 November 2010}}
The park offers and array of landscapes, from the rugged coast to boulder-strewn hilltops. Tree-filled, deeply-incised valleys have freshwater streams flowing through them, with moss-covered boulders. Facilities provided include a camping area and bush toilet near the inlet of the Waychinicup River.{{cite web|url=http://www.australiassouthwest.com/en/Natural+Wonders/Waychinicup+National+Park.htm|title=Australia's South West - Waychinicup National Park|year=2007|access-date=6 June 2007}}
Bald Island Nature Reserve is located offshore nearby.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/science/capad/2008/pubs/capad08_wa.xls|title=Department of Environment - Terrestrial Protected Areas - Western Australia|year=1998|access-date=2016-03-08}}
Fauna
=Mammals=
The park is home to some of the rarest animals in Australia. Species found in the park include the quenda, ring tailed possums and one of the few mainland populations of quokkas.{{cite web|url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,102/Itemid,755/|title=Department of Environment - Waychinicup National Park|year=2007|access-date=6 June 2007}}
Southern right whales inhabit the ocean off the coast.
In 2010, an insurance population of Gilbert's potoroo was established within an enclosure at the park,{{cite web | last=Morrison | first=Lisa | title=Hunt for a safe haven for world's rarest marsupial continues | website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=22 February 2017 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-22/hunt-for-a-home-for-gilberts-potoroo/8290948 | access-date=3 April 2022}} as a short-term measure, but it was found in 2015 that native carpet pythons were getting into the enclosure and preying on the marsupials.{{cite web | last=Arnall | first=Karla | title=Pythons prey on Australia's rarest marsupial in south coast nature reserve | website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=8 December 2015 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-08/pythons-prey-on-rarest-marsupial-in-south-coast-reserve/7010170 | access-date=3 April 2022}} As of December 2018 there were 20 of the critically endangered marsupials in the park, representing a fifth of the total remaining population in the world. {{ cite report| url=https://www.awe.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/species/20-mammals-by-2020/gilberts-potoroo| title= Gilbert's Potoroo, Potorous gilbertii| series=Threatened Species Strategy – Year 3 Priority Species Scorecard (2018| publisher=Australian Government| author=National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Research Hub |date=2019 }} [https://www.awe.gov.au/sites/default/files/env/pages/2096e1b3-739d-4626-b04c-1b0fcf0be69b/files/gilberts-potoroo-year-3-scorecard.pdf PDF]
=Birds=
The park forms part of the Two Peoples Bay and Mount Manypeaks Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its significance in the conservation of several rare and threatened bird species.BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Two Peoples Bay and Mount Manypeaks. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 18 November 2011. The critically endangered noisy scrubbird, which was once thought to be extinct, is found within the park; a small population of 14 were translocated from Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in 1983, followed by another 16 in 1985. By 1994 it was estimated that 223 male birds had been heard singing in the area.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/noisy-scrub-bird/measures.html|title=Noisy Scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus) Recovery Plan|year=2007|access-date=6 June 2007}}
The western bristlebird is another vulnerable species that is found within the park. Most of the birds remaining population is found in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and Waychinicup National Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=515|title=Dasyornis longirostris — Western Bristlebird|year=2010|access-date=6 June 2007}} Populations of the bird that have been on the decline since the late 19th century has started to stabilise.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{National Parks of Western Australia}}
{{authority control}}
Category:City of Albany, Western Australia
Category:National parks of Western Australia
Category:Protected areas established in 1990
Category:1990 establishments in Australia