Seal Islands (South Shetland Islands): Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Islands of Antarctica}} |
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{{Unreferenced|date=December 2009}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
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[[Image:AntDotMap Livingston.png|170px|thumb|right|<small>Location of Seal Island</small>]] |
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{{Infobox islands |
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| ⚫ | '''Seal Islands''' (also known as '''Îles des Phoques''', '''Islas Foca''', '''Islotes Foca''' and '''Seal Rocks''') are a group of small |
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| name = Seal Islands |
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| image_name = South Shetland Islands Map.png |
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| image_caption = Location of Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands |
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| map = Antarctic Peninsula#Antarctica |
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| map_caption = Location of Seal Islands |
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| map_relief = yes |
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| nickname = |
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| location = [[Antarctica]] |
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| coordinates = {{Coord|60|58|S|55|24|W|}} |
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| archipelago = [[South Shetland Islands]] |
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| total_islands = |
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| major_islands = |
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| area_km2 = |
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| length_km = |
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| width_km = |
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| highest_mount = |
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| elevation_m = |
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| population = uninhabited |
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| population_as_of = |
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| density_km2 = |
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| ethnic_groups = |
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| country = None |
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| treaty_system = [[Antarctic Treaty System]] |
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| additional_info = [[Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Ecosystem Monitoring Programme|CEMP]] Site No.1. |
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}} |
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| ⚫ | The '''Seal Islands''' (also known as '''Îles des Phoques''', '''Islas Foca''', '''Islotes Foca''' and '''Seal Rocks''') are a group of small islands and rocky islets lying about 7 km north and north-west of [[Elephant Island]], in the [[South Shetland Islands]] of [[Antarctica]]. They extend east–west for about 5 km,<ref name=bli/> and are separated from Elephant Island by [[Sealers Passage]]. The group takes its name from the largest island, which [[Captain (nautical)|Captain]] [[William Smith (mariner)|William Smith]] named Seal Island in 1820 because of the number of seals killed there. |
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==Description== |
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Seal Island, the largest in the group, has a coastline of precipitous cliffs, with a sandy beach on the western shore and some small coves. It rises to 125 m in height. It is constituted of poorly consolidated [[sedimentary rock]]s which are susceptible to wave and runoff erosion. Other islands in the group are also rocky with steep cliffs and few beaches. Ice-cover is seasonal.<ref name=bli/> |
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==Important Bird Area== |
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The islands, with the intervening marine zone, have been identified as a 514 ha [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) by [[BirdLife International]] because they support several [[bird colony|breeding colonies]], totalling some 20,000 pairs, of [[chinstrap penguin]]s. Other birds nesting in the group in smaller numbers include [[macaroni penguin]]s (350 pairs), [[southern giant petrel]]s, [[imperial shag]]s, [[Cape petrel]]s, [[Wilson's storm petrel]]s, [[snowy sheathbill]]s and [[kelp gull]]s. [[Antarctic fur seal]]s breed on the islands, with around 600 seal pups born each year. [[Southern elephant seal|Southern elephant]], [[Weddell seal|Weddell]], [[Leopard seal|leopard]] and [[crabeater seal]]s [[hauling-out|haul out]] there.<ref name=bli>{{cite web |url= http://www.birdlife.org |title= Seal Islands|access-date=2013-01-17 |work= BirdLife data zone: Important Bird Areas |publisher= BirdLife International |year= 2013}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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* [[List of |
* [[List of Antarctic and subantarctic islands]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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{{Portalbar|Islands|Geography}} |
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{{South Shetlands}} |
{{South Shetlands}} |
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{{Antarctica topics}} |
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{{Important Bird Areas of Antarctica}} |
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{{coord|60|58|S|55|24|W|display=title}} |
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[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Antarctica]] |
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[[Category:Seabird colonies]] |
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[[Category:Islands of the South Shetland Islands]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Geography of the British Antarctic Territory]] |
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[[Category:Seal hunting]] |
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[[Category:Penguin colonies]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
{{ElephantIsland-geo-stub}} |
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[[es:Farallones Focas]] |
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[[pt:Ilhotas Foca]] |
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Latest revision as of 15:29, 2 July 2024
 Location of Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands | |
  Seal Islands Location of Seal Islands  Seal Islands Seal Islands (Antarctica) | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 60°58′S 55°24′W / 60.967°S 55.400°W |
| Archipelago | South Shetland Islands |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | uninhabited |
| Additional information | |
| CEMP Site No.1. | |
The Seal Islands (also known as Îles des Phoques, Islas Foca, Islotes Foca and Seal Rocks) are a group of small islands and rocky islets lying about 7 km north and north-west of Elephant Island, in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. They extend east–west for about 5 km,[1] and are separated from Elephant Island by Sealers Passage. The group takes its name from the largest island, which Captain William Smith named Seal Island in 1820 because of the number of seals killed there.
Description
[edit]Seal Island, the largest in the group, has a coastline of precipitous cliffs, with a sandy beach on the western shore and some small coves. It rises to 125 m in height. It is constituted of poorly consolidated sedimentary rocks which are susceptible to wave and runoff erosion. Other islands in the group are also rocky with steep cliffs and few beaches. Ice-cover is seasonal.[1]
Important Bird Area
[edit]The islands, with the intervening marine zone, have been identified as a 514 ha Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support several breeding colonies, totalling some 20,000 pairs, of chinstrap penguins. Other birds nesting in the group in smaller numbers include macaroni penguins (350 pairs), southern giant petrels, imperial shags, Cape petrels, Wilson's storm petrels, snowy sheathbills and kelp gulls. Antarctic fur seals breed on the islands, with around 600 seal pups born each year. Southern elephant, Weddell, leopard and crabeater seals haul out there.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Seal Islands". BirdLife data zone: Important Bird Areas. BirdLife International. 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
60°58′S 55°24′W / 60.967°S 55.400°W
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