Northwest Cape is a unique area of rugged beauty with a high degree of geological and biological diversity. From the marine perspective Ningaloo Reef is Australia’s longest fringing reef , providing the framework of a complex ecosystem which houses about 250 species of corals, 400 species of fish and an amazing array of other vertebrates (animals with backbones) and invertebrates (animals without backbones). Part of this amazing biodiversity includes the annual appearance of charismatic megafauna, such as whalesharks and humpback whales, whilst turtles, dolphins, mantarays and dugong can be seen year round.
Cape Range, the “spine” of Northwest Cape, is old coral reef built up over thousands of years. The range is known as a karst system, which boasts hundreds of caves and sinkholes caused by water erosion over a long period of time. These caves and sinkholes house an unusual array of fauna known as troglobites (cave dwelling) and stygofauna (fauna adapted to the underground water) – many of which are endemic to the area.
Because of the ever increasing pressure from tourism, mining and other developments, Cape Conservation Group has become the conservation and environmental “watchdog” to help ensure the sustainability and high diversity values of the area and to ensure thethe relatively pristine state both the marine and terrestrial environments is maintained for future generations.
