Cape Batterbee (45182)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Cape Batterbee
Central coordinates: Latitude: -65.8428, Longitude: 53.8136
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 1.51161
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Cape Batterbee is a low, rocky point situated ~6 km east of Proclamation Island, and forms the most northerly extent of Enderby Land. A small unnamed rocky island (~0.5 km long, ~0.3 km wide) lies several km offshore to the east. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present and comprises Cape Batterbee, the nearby offshore island and the intervening marine area. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~450 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: Approximately 30 746 breeding pairs (95% CI 18839, 50846) of Adélie Penguin were present on Cape Batterbee and the nearby offshore island to the east as estimated from February 2011 satellite imagery (Lynch & LaRue 2014). No other birds are known to breed at Cape Batterbee. However, Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) and Antarctic Petrels (Thalassoica antarctica) have been reported on nearby Proclamation Island (Falla 1937). Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: Shortest perimeter around island groups and/or ice-free areas ≤ 5 km2, including marine areas as appropriate.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Falla, R.A. 1937. Birds. British and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expeditions Report, Series B, Vol 2: 1-288. 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