Berkley Island / Cameron Island (45203)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Berkley Island / Cameron Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -66.2165, Longitude: 110.6262
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 20
Area of KBA (km2): 0.96941
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Berkley Island and Cameron Island are part of the Swain Islands, which lie in the northeast of the Windmill Islands, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land. They are situated ~2 km north of Clark Peninsula. Both islands are ~0.6 km long and ~0.3 km wide and are ice free in summer. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colony present, and consists of Berkley Island, Cameron Island and the intervening marine area and smaller islets. The nearest permanent station is Casey (AUS), ~9 km to the west on Bailey Peninsula.
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: A ground survey in December 1989 counted 5141 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin on Berkley Island and 1347 pairs on Cameron Island (Woehler et al. 1991). Berkley Island showed the largest Adélie Penguin breeding population increase of all the Windmill Islands between 1961/62 and 1989/90 (Woehler et al. 1991), while Cameron Island also saw an increase over this period. The largest increase of 149% occurred between 1980 and 1990. Approximately 13 423 breeding pairs (95% CI 8028, 22 057) of Adélie Penguin were present at Berkley Island and Cameron Island as estimated from January 2011 satellite imagery (Lynch & LaRue 2014), which would suggest continued increases in the local population. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) have been observed breeding on fast ice northeast of the Swain Islands (Murray & Luders 1990), and Leopard Seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are regularly seen in the area.
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: 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 Murray, M.D. & Luders, D.J. 1990. Faunistic studies at the Windmill Islands, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica, 1959-80. ANARE Research Notes 73 (IV): 1-45. Woehler, E.J., Slip, D.J., Robertson, L.M., Fullagar, P.J. & Burton, H.R. 1991. The distribution, abundance and status of Adélie Penguins Pygoscelis adeliae at the Windmill Islands, Wilkes Land, Antarctica. Marine Ornithology 19 (1): 1-18.