Mount Biscoe (45181)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Mount Biscoe
Central coordinates: Latitude: -66.2233, Longitude: 51.3417
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 700
Area of KBA (km2): 3.60945
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Mount Biscoe is the eastern and the larger of two ice free rock massifs located ~6 km southwest of Cape Ann on the coast of Enderby Land. It rises to ~700 m in elevation ~7 km northwest of Wordie Nunatak, and is a similar distance northeast of Mount Hurley. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present and comprises the two rock massifs and the intervening ice area. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~540 km to the east on the Mawson Coast.
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: An Adélie Penguin colony occupies the beaches and lower slopes extending up to ~200 m below Mount Biscoe and at the foot of the western massif (Bassett et al. 1989). The colony was considered to comprise at least 5000 breeding pairs in October 1985, although observations were made prior to the arrival of most breeding birds and the authors recommended a later survey to estimate breeding numbers accurately (Bassett et al. 1989). More recently, Lynch & LaRue (2014) estimated 28 536 breeding pairs (95% CI 17415, 47225) in the colony in 2011 from satellite imagery. Antarctic Petrels (Thalassoica antarctica) breed on the slopes above the Adélie Penguin colony with the number of breeding pairs estimated in the 1000s (van Franeker et al. 1999). Other bird species observed at the site and close offshore include Snow Petrel (Pagodroma nivea), Wilson's Storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) and South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki), although breeding is unconfirmed (Bassett et al. 1989). 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: Bassett, J.A., Woehler, E.J., Ensor, P.H., Kerry, K.R. & Johnstone, G.W. 1989. Short Communication: Adélie Penguins and Antarctic Petrels at Mount Biscoe, Western Enderby Land, Antarctica. Emu 90: 58-60. Lynch, H.J. & LaRue, M.A. 2014. First global census of the Adélie Penguin. The Auk 131(4): 457-66. doi:10.1642/AUK-14-31.1 van Franeker, J.A., Gavrilo, M., Mehlum, F., Veit, R.R. & Woehler, E.J. 1999. Distribution and abundance of the Antarctic Petrel. Waterbirds 22(1): 14-28.