Australia plans to expand Antarctic marine park to protect over half of its oceans

By Anadolu staff

Australia decided on Tuesday to expand the Antarctic marine park, which includes glaciers, wetlands, the country's only active volcanoes, and diverse and significant populations of penguins, seals, and albatrosses.

“Australia now protects more ocean than any other country on earth, with the Albanese Labor Government signing off a massive 310,000 km2 (192,625 square miles) expansion of the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Park,” Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a statement.

The decision means that, for the first time, more than half or 52% of Australia's oceans are now protected, blitzing the government's 30% target set as part of a UN nature treaty in 2022, she said.

The Heard and McDonald Islands are home to glaciers, wetlands, Australia's only active volcanoes, as well as large populations of penguins, seals, and albatrosses.

“This is not just a huge environmental win for Australia, it’s a huge environmental win for the world," she said.

Last year, the Australian government tripled the size of Macquarie Island Marine Park – another sub-Antarctic wildlife wonderland.

“We delivered the biggest contribution to ocean conservation in the world in 2023, and we’ve done the same again this year – it’s an enormous achievement for nature," said Plibersek.

According to the statement, she will now recommend an updated marine park design to the governor-general for proclamation.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid