Rare Baby Elephant Seal Born in Shoalwater Islands Marine Park near Perth

A female southern elephant seal has chosen the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park to give birth to her pup on 27 November 2016. It is very rare for an elephant seal to give birth this far from their icy home of Antarctica. In fact this is only the third time recorded of an elephant seal pupping in Western Australia. Possibly the mother was foraging for food, as foraging areas can be several thousand kilometres away from their breeding islands.

The mother settled on one of the Marine Park's islands for this amazing event, where she will stay for the next 3-4 weeks with her pup until the pup is weaned. An elephant seal's milk has a 70% fat content and the pup will grow up to 100kgs in just a few weeks. The pup may then stay for a further 5-6 weeks until it is big enough to make the journey back to Antarctica.

Located just 40 minutes south of Perth and situated just 500 metres offshore of Rockingham, the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park is a protected marine park offering an incredible range of wildlife encounters. The Park comprises of crystal clear waters, weathered strings of craggy limestone islands, white sandy bays and vibrantly coloured corals and is home to one of the finest displays of wild sea life and birdlife to be found anywhere in the world.

There are a number of ways to experience and interact with the local wildlife. Pods of wild dolphins regularly frequent these coastal waters and there's no better place than here for an unforgettable swim with dolphins in their natural habitat. Alternatively for those that want to stay dry, these playful creatures can be enjoyed via the viewing platform on board local tour operator Rockingham Wild Encounter's cruise boat as they ride the bow of the waters below.

The dolphin's neighbours on Penguin Island are just a short ferry ride away. On the island, visitors can meet some of the island's 1,200 little penguins who make up the largest colony on Australia's west coast. At the island's interpretive centre, visitors can enjoy penguin-feeding daily and learn more via expert commentary. The penguins share their home with 50 species of seabirds including the largest colony of pelicans in Western Australia.

From Penguin Island, via a glass bottom boat, a 45 minute cruise is available off nearby Seal Island to see the rare Australian sea lions. In addition, a wildlife adventure tour with Capricorn Sea Kayaking allows visitors to paddle a well-equipped kayak amongst the chain of islands including Seal Island, allowing for even closer encounters with these extraordinary creatures.

The marine park is also a popular location for snorkelers who can experience the coral reefs on a shallow shore dive with great visibility. More experienced divers can head to the West Coast Dive Park nearby that is rich in dive wrecks and a further colourful world of fish and coral.

Experience Perth CEO, Noeleen Pearson said "not many cities in the world can offer visitors the unique opportunity to interact with such an incredible variety of marine-wildlife so close to the city and the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park provides the experience via a range of excellent day tours and cruises."

Perth Region Tourism Organisation Inc. trading as Experience Perth
W: www.experiencepeth.com