Hop Island, Rauer Islands (45188)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Hop Island, Rauer Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: -68.8293, Longitude: 77.6960
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 5.31921
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Rauer Islands are situated between Ranvik Bay and Sørsdal Glacier Tongue, Ingrid Christensen Coast, Princess Elizabeth Land. Hop Island lies in the west of the Rauer group, is ~3 km long by 2.5 km wide and is mainly ice free in summer. Topography rises to a maximum elevation of ~50 m and the northern and western coasts are characterised by cliffs. A number of small lakes are present on the island. The decay of bedrock has created potential sites for cavity-nesting birds (Norman & Ward 1999). The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) and South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki) colonies present, and comprises all of Hop Island. The nearest permanent station is Davis (AUS), ~30 km to the north on Broad Peninsula, Vestfold Hills.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Whitehead & Johnstone (1990) counted 43 268 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin on Hop Island in 1981/82. This compares with approximately 51 015 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin present in 2010/11 as estimated from February 2011 satellite imagery (unpublished data H. Lynch & M. LaRue pers. comm. 2014: CI not available). Adélie Penguin and South Polar Skua breeding is concentrated along the western coast of the island. Six flying bird species breed at Hop Island (Table 130.1). Non-bird biodiversity: Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) frequent the coast during summer.
Delineation rationale: Shortest perimeter around islands and/or ice-free areas >5km2.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Arnould, J.P.Y. & Whitehead, M.D. 1991. The diet of Antarctic Petrels, Cape Petrels and Southern Fulmars rearing chicks in Prydz Bay. Antarctic Science 3: 19-27. Creuwels, J.C.S., Poncet, S., Hodum, P.J. & van Franeker J.A. 2007. Distribution and abundance of the Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides. Polar Biology 30: 1083-1097. Hodum, P., Croxall, J.P., Poncet, S. & Woehler, E. 2004. Breeding distribution of the Cape Petrel Daption capense. Unpublished draft manuscript. 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 Norman, F.I. & Ward, S.J. 1999. Aspects of the Ecology of South Polar Skuas Catharacta maccormicki at Hop Island, Rauer Group, East Antarctica. Emu 99(3): 176-190. doi: 10.1071/MU99021 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. Whitehead, M.D. & Johnstone, G.W. 1990. The distribution and estimated abundance of Adélie Penguins breeding in Prydz Bay, Antarctica. NIPR Symposium on Polar Biology: 91-98.