between the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Cocos Malay people to restrict and sustainably manage any further hunting on North Keeling. In 1989 Cyclone John devastated the red-footed booby colony on North Keeling and legal hunting ceased to allow the population to recover. Since then no legal hunting has taken place. The Pulu Keeling National Park was established on 12 December 1995. It is important as a breeding island for seabirds and marine turtles. It is home to the endemic Cocos buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis andrewsi and to the Cocos angelfish. The national park was declared for the following purposes: the preservation of the area in its natural condition, and the encouragement and regulation of the appropriate use, appreciation and enjoyment of the area by the public Access is by permit only. Other protected area status The island is listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on 17 March 1996, as Ramsar Site 797. The island has also been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it supports over 1% of the world populations of red-footed boobies, lesser frigatebirds and common noddies. It has what is possibly the largest red-footed booby colony in the world as well as the second largest population of lesser frigatebirds in Australian territory. See also Fauna of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands References Boudewijn Büch, Eenzaam, 1992, pp. 84–94. External links Pulu Keeling National Park Islands of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Ramsar sites in Australia 1995 establishments in Australia Important Bird Areas of Australian External Territories Uninhabited islands of Australia Important Bird Areas of Indian Ocean islands