Southern coast of Péninsule Jeanne d'Arc (6907)
French Southern Territories, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Southern coast of Péninsule Jeanne d'Arc
Central coordinates: Latitude: -49.6833, Longitude: 70.0000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 844
Area of KBA (km2): 36.12395
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Péninsule Jeanne d’Arc is the south-eastern extremity of Grande Terre, south of the Golfe du Morbihan (TF010). Cats, rats and rabbits have been introduced. The site is restricted to the southern edge of the peninsula and consists of cliffs that rise steeply from the sea to over 800 m. To the east of the site, a large glaciated valley opens into the Baie de l’Antarctique. Other than at Canyon des Sourcils Noirs, on the eastern edge of the site, which is frequently visited by scientists monitoring the study population of Diomedea melanophris, there is little human activity.
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 21 species breed. The penguin rookeries at the base of the cliffs also includes 3,000 pairs of Eudyptes chrysocome. Kerguelen’s only population of Phoebetria fusca (six pairs) is found at the Canyon des Sourcils Noirs, along with 1,300 pairs of Diomedea melanophris. Small numbers of Macronectes halli and Sterna virgata also breed. It is possible that numbers of breeding Phoebetria palpebrata, Procellaria aequinoctialis and Phalacrocorax verrucosus exceed thresholds, but quantitative data are lacking. 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 Canyon des Sourcils Noirs is an ‘Area restricted to scientific and technical research’ to which access is limited. The rest of the site is, however, unprotected. Predation by cats has reduced the populations of several seabird species to small numbers.
Additional information
References: Cherel et al. (1996), Jouventin and Micol (1992), Jouventin et al. (1984, 1988, 1996), Weimerskirch and Jouventin (1997), Weimerskirch et al. (1989).