Klung Island / Welch Island (45184)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Klung Island / Welch Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -67.5570, Longitude: 62.9482
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 130
Area of KBA (km2): 4.14551
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Klung Island and Welch Island are situated on the eastern side of Holme Bay ~2 km northwest of the Mawson Coast, Mac.Robertson Land. Klung Island is ~0.8 km long and up to 0.7 km wide, rises to 40 m, and is the largest of the Klung Islands group. Welch Island is ~1.8 km long and up to 1 km wide with a prominent narrow ridge rising to ~130 m. Klung and Welch islands are mostly ice free in summer and several lakes are present. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present and comprises Klung Island, Welch Island and includes the intervening smaller islands and marine area. The nearest permanent station is Mawson (AUS) ~5 km to the southwest 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 11 441 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguins were present on Klung Island and on the small unnamed island immediately west, and 24 620 pairs were estimated as breeding on Welch Island, as estimated from February 2011 satellite imagery (unpublished data, H. Lynch & M. LaRue pers. comm. 2014: CI not available). Nests are concentrated along the northern coasts of the three largest islands within the IBA. Snow Petrels (Pagodroma nivea) are known to breed on high ground on the islands, although numbers are not known (Australian Antarctic Data Centre 2014). 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: Klung Island and Welch Island lie close to Mawson Station and local operational activities could pose potential concerns for conservation of wildlife. In particular, oil spills and aircraft operations represent potential risks to local breeding birdlife. Mawson Station has comprehensive procedures in place to manage and minimise these risks (see e.g. Australian Antarctic Data Centre 2014), and station management are cognisant of locally sensitive wildlife, so risks are considered low.
Additional information
References: Australian Antarctic Data Centre. 2014. Mawson fixed wing suggested flight paths. Scale 1:70 000. Edition 3. Catalogue ID 14308. 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