Depot Island (45224)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Depot Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -76.7013, Longitude: 162.9702
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 0.07165
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Depot Island is of roughly triangular in shape and situated ~200 m off the coast of Evans Piedmont Glacier, southern Victoria Land. It is situated ~ 4 km north of Cape Ross and ~ 10 km southeast of Tripp Island. The ice free island is ~ 0.3 km long and up to 0.3 km wide. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki) colony present at the site and comprises all of Depot Island. The nearest permanent scientific stations are Scott Base (NZL) and McMurdo Station (USA) situated ~160 km to the southeast on Hut Point Peninsula, Ross Island.
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: South Polar Skuas breed on Gregory Island, with ~72 breeding pairs estimated in 1982 (Ainley et al. 1986). No recent information on the colony is available, and no other birds are known to breed in the area. 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: Ainley, D.G., Morrell, S.H. & Wood, R.C. 1986. South Polar Skua breeding colonies in the Ross Sea region. Notornis 33: 155-163.