Snow Hill Island (29412)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Snow Hill Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -64.5225, Longitude: -57.4599
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 200
Area of KBA (km2): 2.8387
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Snow Hill Island lies 5 km to the southeast of James Ross Island and less than 2 km to the southwest of Seymour Island, off the eastern coast of Trinity Peninsula. Snow Hill Island is nearly entirely covered by snow and ice. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony present at the southwest extremity of the island and comprises 263 ha of sea ice adjacent to the coast. The nearest permanent scientific station is Marambio (ARG), which operates year-round ~53 km to the northeast on Seymour Island and has capacity for ~150 people (COMNAP, Antarctic Facilities, accessed 19/08/2010).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: A visual ground count made in November 2004 recorded ~3885 downy Emperor Penguin chicks on fast ice ~400 m from ice cliffs on the southern coast of Snow Hill Island (Todd et al. 2004). While a recent count based on analysis of a satellite image acquired 26 Oct 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated 2164 penguins present, which would not qualify under the IBA population criteria, in view of the historical size of the colony and uncertainty over current numbers, the IBA has been retained. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point, truncated at coastline.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Todd et al. (2004) noted over 100 dead Emperor Penguin chicks in the November 2004 census, although the majority of chicks were healthy. The cause of the deaths is unknown.
Additional information
References: Fretwell, P.T., LaRue, M.A., Morin P., Kooyman, G.L., Wienecke, B., Ratcliffe, N., Fox, A.J., Fleming, A.H., Porter, C. & Trathan, P.N. 2012. An Emperor Penguin population estimate: The first global, synoptic survey of a species from space. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33751. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033751 Todd, F.S., Adie, S. & Splettstoesser, J.F. 2004. First ground visit to the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri colony at Snow Hill Island, Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Marine Ornithology 32: 193-94.