Shackleton Ice Shelf (30152)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Shackleton Ice Shelf
Central coordinates: Latitude: -64.9888, Longitude: 96.1561
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 20
Area of KBA (km2): 4.7878
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Shackleton Ice Shelf extends ~350 km from Junction Corner in the west to Elliott Cape in the east on the Queen Mary Coast of Queen Mary Land. The ice shelf protrudes into the Davis Sea ~180 km in the west and ~80 km in the east. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony present and includes part of the northwestern margin of the ice shelf on which they may on occasion breed, and the adjacent marine area.
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 on 10 October 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 6471 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. During 2008-10, the colony was located on the fast ice at the base of the ice shelf. However, the colony moved onto the ice shelf itself in 2011 and 2012 owing to unsuitable sea ice conditions. Access onto the ice shelf was gained through a gulley several km east of the main colony breeding areas (Fretwell et al. 2014). Guano staining on shelf ice and evidence of individual birds in high resolution satellite imagery indicated that the colony moved over an area of ~6 x 5 km on the ice shelf throughout the course of the winter (Fretwell et al. 2014). Non-bird biodiversity: Numerous seals, most likely Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii), haul out along sea ice leads near the access gulley east of the Emperor Penguin colony, as evident in satellite imagery available on Google Earth (imagery Digital Globe, 24 Nov 2011).
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
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 Fretwell, P.T., Trathan, P.N., Wienecke, B. & Kooyman, G.L. 2014. Emperor penguins breeding on iceshelves. PLoS ONE 9(1): 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0085285