Seal Bay Conservation Park

Seal Bay Conservation Park is a protected area located on the south coast of Kangaroo Island, South Australia.

It is a popular tourist destination known for its Australian sea lion colony. The park is significant for education, research, and conservation purposes, and it encompasses wetlands, sand dunes, and coastal flora that provide a habitat for diverse wildlife. To preserve and protect the natural habitat of the sea lions, visitors are required to pay for guided tours to access the beach, which is the only entrance to view them.

The park was proclaimed as a closed area for sea lions in 1954 under the Animals and Birds Protection Act. The request for the sanctuary was initiated by the Field Naturalists section of the Royal Society of South Australia and supported by the South Australian Ornithological Association and the tourism industry on Kangaroo Island. In 1967, it was re-dedicated as a fauna reserve under the Fauna Conservation Act 1964. Organized tours of the park began in 1955, and by 1994, the annual visitation was approximately 70,000 people.

Seal Bay Conservation Park is associated with three other protected areas to support the objectives of its management plan. These areas include the Seal Bay Aquatic Reserve, the Bales Beach Aquatic Reserve, and the Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park.