Wildlife
The lower reaches of the river are home to salt water crocodiles, a recently captured example (2003) being more than 4 metres long. The most diverse range of freshwater fish in the country are found within the Fitzroy basin. The prized Australian fish, the barramundi, breeds in the river along with sooty grunter and a separate genetic strain of golden perch.
Some 987 km2 of the river's floodplain and delta have been classified by BirdLife International as the Fitzroy Floodplain and Delta Important Bird Area (IBA). It regularly supports over 1% of the world population of the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper as well as having a resident breeding population of the range-restricted Mangrove Honeyeater.
At the mouth of the river researchers have discovered a genetically distinct snubfin dolphins species with a population of just 70 animals. The WWF believes planned coal port on Balaclava Island by Xstrata could wipe out the local snubfin population.
Read more about this topic: Fitzroy River (Queensland)
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