Hummer Point, Bear Peninsula (45238)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Hummer Point, Bear Peninsula
Central coordinates: Latitude: -74.3666, Longitude: -110.1917
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 4.90294
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Hummer Point is located on the eastern coast of Gurnon Peninsula, which is the northeastern arm of Bear Peninsula, a predominantly ice covered promontory extending into the Amundsen Sea on the Walgreen Coast, Marie Byrd Land. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony present and comprises fast ice in the marine area several km east of Hummer Point. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent stations are Rothera (GBR) and San Martín (ARG), located ~1250 km to the northeast in Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
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: Analysis of a satellite image acquired 18 Nov 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 9457 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point, truncated at coastline.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Fretwell, P.T., LaRue, M.A., Morin P., Kooyman, G.L., Wienecke, B., Ratcliffe, N., Fox, A.J., Fleming, A.H., Porter, C. & Trathan, P.N. 2012. An Emperor Penguin population estimate: The first global, synoptic survey of a species from space. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33751. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033751