Île des Pingouins (6901)
French Southern Territories, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Île des Pingouins
Central coordinates: Latitude: -46.4167, Longitude: 50.4167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 420
Area of KBA (km2): 2.33927
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Île des Pingouins is situated on the western edge of the archipelago, close to the Île des Cochons. It is a small, sheer island, 4 km by 1 km, much eroded by the sea. The coastal cliffs that surround the island vary in height between 50–300 m. The island is virtually inaccessible from the sea and is therefore only occasionally visited by man. It is free of any introduced species, so both vegetation and fauna are pristine.
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: See Box for key species. At least 29 species breed. This site has an exceptionally high density of seabirds, notably including six species of albatross which, in addition to those listed below, comprise 300 pairs of Diomedea melanophris, four pairs of D. cauta salvini, (the only breeding locality for this subspecies in the Indian Ocean) and 30 pairs of Phoebetria palpebrata. Several thousand pairs of Pachyptila salvini salvini and Procellaria aequinoctialis also occur. Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | not utilised
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The whole of Île des Pingouins is a French Antarctic National Park to which access is restricted. It is also a proposed Nature Reserve.
Additional information
References: Jouventin (1990), Jouventin and Micol (1992), Jouventin et al. (1984, 1988, 1996).