Plants and animals

Like national parks on land, marine parks exist to protect animals, plants and the habitat they live in. And like the hills, forests and valleys of national parks, marine parks can cover a wide range of land- and seascapes that give rise to different zones of protection, in turn determining the kinds of activities that can take place within them.

These zones might protect a particular environment found in that region, like the seagrass meadows and mangroves that support fish breeding. Or they may exist to protect a particular animal found there, from the much loved Australian sea lion to animals that only a mother could love, such as the nudibranch.

Download a Beach Explorer's Guide or Underwater Guide to find out more about the plants and animals you might see on the beach or while snorkelling in our marine parks.

Watch our educational video about sea lions below.

Check out the regional pages to learn about the plants and animals we’re protecting within South Australia’s marine parks:

• West Coast and Eyre Peninsula marine parks
• Yorke Peninsula and Upper Spencer Gulf marine parks
• Fleurieu Peninsula and South East marine parks
• Kangaroo Island marine parks