Plants and animals
Marine species
Some of Australia’s, and indeed the world’s rarest sea mammals survive in relatively untouched habitats along this expanse of coastline.
Dugongs graze on seagrass meadows and rare
marine turtles hatch on remote beaches. Australia’s rarest dolphin, the
snubfin, also resides within the Kimberley’s inshore mangrove systems.
Warm tropical waters provide the ideal nursery for humpback whales to safely give birth before returning to
Antarctica. Vast, food-rich tidal flats sustain countless migratory birds. This area also supports sharks, crocodiles, snakes and many other animals at the top of the food chain.
Terrestrial species
Many terrestrial species, such as the Kimberley mouse, the scaly-tailed possum and the splendid tree frog, are found nowhere else in the world. The area is important due to its rich, rare and distinctive natural habitats and the native plants and animals they support. Many more discoveries potentially await on little-known Kimberley islands.
Indigenous communities
The Kimberley is home to
Indigenous people who comprise one of the world’s oldest continuing human traditions.
Indigenous guides open up new ways of understanding their country.
