Northern part of Péninsule Loranchet (6911)
French Southern Territories, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Northern part of Péninsule Loranchet
Central coordinates: Latitude: -48.7000, Longitude: 69.0000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 552
Area of KBA (km2): 52.33635
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site covers the northern part of Péninsule Loranchet, the northernmost part of Grande Terre. The southern border of the site is defined by a line running inland from the head of the Baie de la Dauphine. The coastline is extremely rugged with steep cliffs much dissected by fjords, while inland the relief is equally precipitate. Cats, rats and rabbits occur, but human visits are infrequent.
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 23 species breed. In addition to the Eudyptes chrysolophus rookery on the tip of the peninsula, 5,400 pairs of Eudyptes chrysocome also breed. There is a small colony of Diomedea melanophris (400 pairs). Several species of petrel occur, but only in small numbers. Daption capense and Phalacrocorax verrucosus are frequent on the cliffs. It is possible that numbers of breeding Phoebetria palpebrata, Phalacrocorax verrucosus and Anas eatoni 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 completely unprotected. The presence of introduced mammals has almost certainly reduced the ornithological importance of the site.
Additional information
References: Cherel et al. (1996), Jouventin and Micol (1992), Jouventin et al. (1984, 1988, 1996), Mougin (1985), Weimerskirch and Jouventin (1997), Weimerskirch et al. (1989).