Gibbney Island (45183)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Gibbney Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -67.5530, Longitude: 62.3240
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 0.1748
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Gibbney Island lies in western Holme Bay, ~4 km north of the coast at Forbes Glacier, Mac.Robertson Land. The rocky island is ice free in summer, relatively flat, with a line of low cliffs along its western coast, and is ~0.6 km long and up to 0.4 km wide. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present, and comprises all of Gibbney Island and adjacent islets. The nearest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~25 km to the southeast in Holme Bay, 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 12 246 breeding pairs (95% CI 7287, 20 187) of Adélie Penguins were present on Gibbney Island as estimated from February 2011 satellite imagery (Lynch & LaRue 2014). Breeding is mostly concentrated on the western side of the island. No other birds are known to breed on the island. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: Island coastline where island is ≤ 5 km2.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: 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