Cape St. Marys
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador
Approximate Area: 5,400 hectares
Date of Designation: 1964
Conservation Objectives
To protect a crucial nesting site for thousands of seabirds.
Prohibitions
Many forms of resource extraction, such as forestry, mining, or hydro development, are prohibited on the reserve.
Why (environmental context for protection)
Cape St. Mary’s is home to numerous species of seabirds that nest and breed in this protected area. Nesting species include gulls, razorbills, black-legged kittiwakes, and great cormorants. In the winter, the cape attracts scoters, long-tailed ducks, harlequin ducks, and dovekies. It is the third-largest nesting site and southernmost colony of northern gannets in North America, as well as the southernmost breeding area for thick-billed murres in the world.