Berkner Island northwest (Gould Bay) (30129)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Berkner Island northwest (Gould Bay)
Central coordinates: Latitude: -77.7100, Longitude: -47.6800
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 5.15012
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Berkner Island lies between the Ronne and Filchner ice shelves in the southern Weddell Sea. Gould Bay lies east of Berkner Island. An Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice that forms near the northwestern coast of Berkner Island and the Ronne Ice Shelf, ~90 km to the northwest of Gould Bay. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is Belgrano II (ARG), ~300 km to the east on the Luitpold Coast.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Analysis of a satellite image acquired 14 Oct 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated 8242 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony near Gould Bay. While historically the colony is referred to as located near Gould Bay, more accurately it lies ~5 km north of the area where the Ronne Ice Shelf joins the northwestern coast of Berkner Island, ~90 km northwest of Gould Bay. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Tourism statistics compiled by IAATO do not list the colony at northwestern Berkner Island, nor Gould Bay, as a tourist destination. However, in recent years tourist visits to the colony have been conducted regularly by Adventure Network International (ANI) (http://www.adventure-network.com/gould-bay-camp, accessed 18 Dec 2014), with an average of ~18 visitors and 5 staff per year from 2010-15 (D. Rootes pers. comm. 2015). Visits are closely supervised by ANI staff.
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 Luna Pérez, J.C. 1963. Visita a la roquerìas de pingüinos emperador de Bahía Austral (Mar de Weddell). Contribución Instituto Antártico Argentino 70: 1-19. Neuburg, H.A.C., Thiele, E., Walker, P.T., Behrendt, J.C. & Aughenbaugh, N.B. 1959. The Filchner ice shelf. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 49: 110-19.