Cooper's Island, Bermuda
Cooper's Island is part of the chain which makes up Bermuda. It is located in St. George's Parish, in the northeast of the territory.
The 77-acre (31 hectare) island is located in the northeast of Castle Harbor. Due to reclamation work, it is now joined physically to St. David's Island as a southeastern peninsula. For most purposes, it is still considered as though it were a separate island. Its most notable feature is the expanse of Annie's Bay, which stretches along much of the island's east coast.
The island has been used by many United States government agencies, having been the property of the US Army, US Air Force and US Navy from 1942, during World War II, to 1995. It also is home to a NASA space tracking station, recently renovated in 2018.[1] Until 1995, access was restricted, but it is now open to the public.
Most of Cooper's Island is owned by the Bermudian government. It is preserved as the Cooper's Island Nature Reserve, which has been under active restoration since 2009. Swimming, walking, picnicking, bird watching and snorkelling are all permitted within the reserve.
Important Bird Area
With the adjacent Castle Islands Nature Reserve, Cooper's Island has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, principally because of its importance as a breeding site for seabirds.[2]
References
- "NASA Renovates, Dedicates Bermuda Tracking Station". NASA. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
- BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Cooper's Island and Castle Islands. Downloaded from "BirdLife International - conserving the world's birds". Archived from the original on 10 July 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2013. on 2012-02-20.