While it might be a bit too chilly for most to dip toes in the water, there is plenty to see and do in South Australia’s marine parks.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is celebrating the pristine marine areas as Park of the Month for August.

Marine parks provide important protection to the ocean environment, which boasts popular species including southern right whales, bottlenose dolphins, leafy sea dragons, great white sharks, the Australian sea lion, and giant Australian cuttlefish.

A range of bird species, including hooded plovers, Australian pelicans and little penguins, also frolic in the parks.

NPWS Senior Ranger Nikki Zanardo has patrolled Encounter Marine Park on Fleurieu Peninsula and the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary for seven years.

She says South Australians are lucky to have easy access to marine parks throughout the year.

“Winter in particular is a special time in our marine parks,” she says.

“We have a unique opportunity to witness some amazing species, including the migrations of humpback and southern right whales to our shores and the breeding

aggregation of Australian giant cuttlefish on the Eyre Peninsula.”

To celebrate South Australia’s great marine parks, NPWS has put together a program of activities throughout August across the Fleurieu and KI.

Activities include:

• Interactive pop-up ranger station at Basham Beach.
• Ngarrindjeri Cultural Walk – Kondoli Dreaming at Granite Island.
• Guided Granite Island and Encounter Marine Park walk.
• Junior whale spotter training at Victor Harbor.
• Guided beachcombing and ramble at Victor Harbor.
• Sea Shepherd beach clean-up at Waitpinga Beach.
• Marine parks science night with Experience Marine Sanctuaries at Seacliff.
• Sealions: Life by a Whisker film screenings at Wallis Cinemas Noarlunga.
• 20 per cent off Seal Island and Southern Ocean Adventure tours with The Big Duck Tours at Victor Harbor
• 20 per cent off Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari cruises at Penneshaw.

For more information and bookings, visit the Parks SA website.