Smith Peninsula (45176)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Smith Peninsula
Central coordinates: Latitude: -74.3856, Longitude: -60.8760
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 2.92318
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Smith Peninsula lies between Keller Inlet and Nantucket Inlet, on the Lassiter Coast, southeastern Antarctic Peninsula, in the southwestern Weddell Sea. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony present on fast ice that forms in the northern part of Clarke Bay, and is entirely marine. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is San Martín (ARG), ~730 km to the northwest in Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
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: Analysis of a satellite image acquired 30 Oct 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated 4018 Emperor Penguins were present at Smith Peninsula. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point, truncated at coastline.
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