Way Archipelago (45211)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Way Archipelago
Central coordinates: Latitude: -66.9071, Longitude: 143.8683
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 40
Area of KBA (km2): 32.46825
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Way Archipelago forms an arc of around 120 islands fringing the continental coast of George V Land, extending up to ~4 km offshore and ~20 km from Cape Gray to a cluster of unnamed islands ~4 km southeast of Garnet Point. Stillwell Island is the largest island in the group, being ~0.5 km across, with a steep coastline rising to ~40 m (Stillwell 1918). Most of the islands in Way Archipelago remain relatively snow-free, even in winter, on account of the strong katabatic winds that persist in the region. Stillwell Island and Garnet Point have unusually large garnet crystals within the metamorphic gneiss rocks that dominate the local geology (Stillwell 1918). Six bird species have been recorded breeding at the archipelago. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colonies that breeds on Stillwell Island, Garnet Point and a number of other islands throughout the archipelago, and includes the intervening marine area. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent station is Dumont d'Urville (FRA), ~170 km to the west in Terre Adélie.
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: Approximately 51 900 breeding pairs of Adélie Penguin were present at Way Archipelago and a further 2165 at Garnet Point as estimated from January 2011 satellite imagery (unpublished data H. Lynch & M. LaRue pers. comm. 2014: CI not available). Satellite image analysis by Lynch & LaRue (2014, and unpublished data) indicates the majority of penguins are nesting on the largest three islands in the southeast of Way Archipelago, although breeding appears to occur on most of the small islands in the group. Data are not available on the numbers breeding on individual islands. Almost 4000 pairs of Southern Fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialoides ) breed in the region and small numbers of other flying birds (Tables 158.1 and 158.2). Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
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: Barbraud, C., Delord, K.C., Micol, T. & Jouventin, P. 1999. First census of breeding seabirds between Cap Bienvenue (Terre Adélie) and Moyes Islands (King George V Land), Antarctica: new records for Antarctic seabird populations. Polar Biology 21: 146-50. Ensor, P.H. & Bassett, J.A. 1987. The breeding status of Adélie Penguins on the coast of George V Land, Antarctica. ANARE Research Notes 50. 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 Stillwell, F.L. 1918. The Cape Gray promontory and Stilwell Island. In Stillwell, F.L. The metamophic rocks of Adélie Land, Section 1. Scientific reports of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14 under the leadership of Douglas Mawson, Series A, Vol 3, Part 1: Chapter 10.