Baie Larose (6908)
French Southern Territories, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Baie Larose
Central coordinates: Latitude: -49.5833, Longitude: 69.4167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 235
Area of KBA (km2): 22.72656
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site, in central-southern Grande Terre, includes part of the south-western slopes of Mont Ross, the highest peak in the French Southern Territories (1,850m) and the peculiar tilted, pointed peak known as the Doigt de Sainte Anne. The site consists of the lower mountain slopes and beaches of sand and pebbles. There is very little vegetation.
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 22 species breed, including nine pairs of Diomedea exulans (1989) and small numbers of Phalacrocorax verrucosus and Anas eatoni; 500 pairs of Pygoscelis papua, 6,000 pairs of Eudyptes chrysolophus and 4,000 pairs of E. chrysocome also breed. It is possible that numbers of breeding Pachyptila desolata, P. belcheri, Procellaria aequinoctialis, P. urinatrix and Chionis minor exceed thresholds, but quantitative data are lacking. Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals Mirounga leonina and Arctocephalus gazella breed.
Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.
Habitats
Land use: not utilised
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The site is not protected.
Additional information
References: Cherel et al. (1996), Jouventin and Micol (1992), Jouventin et al. (1984, 1988), Weimerskirch et al. (1989).