North Foreland, King George Island (29442)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: North Foreland, King George Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -61.9031, Longitude: -57.6734
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 250
Area of KBA (km2): 1.51655
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: North Foreland is a headland extending several km from the permanent ice cap at the northeastern extremity of King George Island, lying at the eastern entrance to Emerald Cove. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the concentration of seabirds present (in particular Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)) and includes all of the ice-free area at North Foreland. The nearest permanent scientific station is Comandante Ferraz (Brazil) which operates year-round on the northern shoreline of Admiralty Bay, located ~42 km to southwest, and which accommodates a maximum of ~40 people in the summer (COMNAP, Antarctic Facilities, accessed 24/08/2010).
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: Approximately 23 286 breeding pairs of Chinstrap Penguin were present at North Foreland in 1980 (Jablonski 1984). Shuford & Spear (1988b) reported an estimated 30 100 breeding pairs in January 1987. Southern Giant Petrels (Macronectes giganteus) are also believed to breed at North Foreland, with 248 pairs estimated nesting at the site in 1966 (Patterson et al. 2008). However, more recent census data for these species and other bird species in the area are not available. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: If ice-free area is ≤ 5 km2 then ice-free area is used as boundary.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Jablonski, B. 1984. Distribution and numbers of penguins in the region of King George Island (South Shetland Islands) in the breeding season 1980/81. Polish Polar Research 5: 17-30 Patterson, D.L., Woehler, E.J., Croxall, J.P., Cooper, J., Poncet, S., Peter, H.-U., Hunter, S. & Fraser, W.R. 2008. Breeding distribution and population status of the Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli and the Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus. Marine Ornithology 36: 115-124. Shuford, W.D. & Spear, L.B. 1988b. Surveys of breeding Chinstrap Penguins in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 81: 19-30.