Crocodile Islands
Encyclopedia
The Crocodile Islands are a group of islands belonging to the Northern Territory
of Australia
. They are located off the coast of Arnhem Land
. One of the main islands in the group is Milingimbi Island
, with other large islands including Mooroongga, Yabooma, Gananggaringur and Crocodile Islands. Smaller islands include Darbada, Boojiragi, Mardanaingura, Northwest Crocodile and Northeast Crocodile Islands, and North Crocodile Reef. They were discovered by the Dutch in the seventeenth century and named the Crocodils Eÿlandt. Several of the Crocodile Islands, with their associated mudflat
s, have been identified by BirdLife International
as forming the Milingimbi Islands Important Bird Area
(IBA) because they support large numbers of wader
s, or shorebirds.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They are located off the coast of Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
. One of the main islands in the group is Milingimbi Island
Milingimbi Island
Milingimbi Island is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. It is located approximately 500 km east of Darwin and 250 km west of Nhulunbuy. Its largest community is also called Milingimbi. The island is approximately half a kilometer off the mainland and forms part...
, with other large islands including Mooroongga, Yabooma, Gananggaringur and Crocodile Islands. Smaller islands include Darbada, Boojiragi, Mardanaingura, Northwest Crocodile and Northeast Crocodile Islands, and North Crocodile Reef. They were discovered by the Dutch in the seventeenth century and named the Crocodils Eÿlandt. Several of the Crocodile Islands, with their associated mudflat
Mudflat
Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats, are coastal wetlands that form when mud is deposited by tides or rivers. They are found in sheltered areas such as bays, bayous, lagoons, and estuaries. Mudflats may be viewed geologically as exposed layers of bay mud, resulting from deposition of...
s, have been identified by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as forming the Milingimbi Islands Important Bird Area
Milingimbi Islands Important Bird Area
The Milingimbi Islands Important Bird Area comprises 94 km2 of land in the Milingimbi, or Crocodile Islands group, of the Northern Territory of Australia. The area is traditionally owned Aboriginal land...
(IBA) because they support large numbers of wader
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
s, or shorebirds.