The many bays, inlets and islands in the Shark Bay region support a profusion of aquatic life. Turtles, whales, prawns, scallops, sea snakes, fish and sharks are common. Communities of corals, sponges and other invertebrates, together with a unique mix of tropical and temperate fish species, have also formed in some areas. The wide intertidal flats on the shores of Shark Bay support a unique community of burrowing molluscs, hermit crabs and other invertebrates. But the very foundation of Shark Bay's ecosystem is the seagrass - meadows and meadows of it!

Shark Bay has the largest area of seagrass and the largest number of species ever recorded in one place in the world. Elsewhere, one or two species cover large geographic areas. For example, there is only one species of seagrass in most of North America and Europe. But in Shark Bay there are 12 species, and, in some places in the Bay, nine can easily be identified in a square metre.

The waters of Monkey Mia, where several bottlenose dolphins regularly visit the beach, are also within the marine park. The dolphins are wild animals that come to the beach of their own free will to interact with people and accept fish from them.

Location

Denham, on the shores of the Shark Bay Marine Park, is 400 kilometres north from Geraldton and 330 kilometres from Carnarvon. Monkey Mia Reserve is 23 kilometres from Denham.

Further Information

Address:
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Locked Bag 29,
Bentley Delivery Centre,
Bentley, WA 6102
ABN: 38 052 249 024

Telephone:
(08) 9219 9000

Website:
https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/

Park pass sales
customer.service@dbca.wa.gov.au