Scorseby Head, Smyley Island (45245)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Scorseby Head, Smyley Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -72.2999, Longitude: -78.8298
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 4.97297
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Scorseby Head lies on the northern coast of Smyley Island, between Stange Sound and Carroll Inlet, Trathan Coast, Bellingshausen Sea. The Stange Ice Shelf connects the island in the east with the English Coast, Palmer Land. An Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice that forms on the northern coast of Smyley Island several km east of Scorseby Head. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent stations are Rothera (GBR) and San Martín (ARG), located approximately 650 km to the northwest in Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Analysis of a satellite image acquired 12 Nov 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 6061 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: Southern Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina) fitted with satellite transmitters at King George Island have been observed travelling towards the Bellingshausen Sea and remaining on sea ice near Smyley Island (Bornemann et al. 2000).
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point, truncated at coastline.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Bornemann, H., Kreyscher, M., Ramdohr, S., Martin, T., Carlini, A., Sellmann, L. & Plötz, J. 2000. Southern elephant seal movements and Antarctic sea ice. Antarctic Science 12(1): 3-15. 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