Trinity Island southwest (29489)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Trinity Island southwest
Central coordinates: Latitude: -63.8999, Longitude: -60.8901
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 500
Area of KBA (km2): 0.82144
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Trinity Island is part of the Palmer Archipelago and lies in Orléans Strait, ~15 km from the Davis Coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Imperial Shag (Phalacrocorax [atriceps] bransfieldensis) colony present and comprises a rocky headland rising to ~250 m at the southwestern extremity of Trinity Island. The nearest permanent station is Primavera (ARG), located 30 km to the south.
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: Around 195 pairs of Imperial Shag were recorded breeding in three groups along the rocky headland amongst Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) on 28 January 1986 (unpublished data S. Poncet pers. comm. 2005). The Chinstrap Penguin colony was recorded as 1600 breeding pairs (Poncet & Poncet 1987). 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: Poncet, S. & Poncet, J. 1987. Censuses of penguin populations of the Antarctic Peninsula, 1983-87. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 77: 109-29.