Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information Southern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialoides) are the most abundant bird species present at the Inaccessible Islands, with tens of thousands of pairs recorded breeding on the northern coast of islands and islets in 1986 (Poncet & Poncet, unpublished data). Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) also breed on the larger islands, and approximately 1000 breeding pairs were recorded in 1986. Approximately 100 breeding pairs of Imperial Shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps) were also recorded on the northern coast of the more southerly of the large islands in the Inaccessible Islands group in 1986.

Site description Inaccessible Islands are the most westerly of the South Orkney Islands. They are located 35 km west of Coronation Island and comprise three main islands and numerous offshore skerries. The IBA comprises all islands and offshore rocks in the Inaccessible Islands group and the intervening marine area, covering ~329 ha.

Information on the environment at the Inaccessible Islands is not available. The nearest research station is Signy (UK), located 62 km southeast of the IBA. See Ant095 for information on the environment and facilities at this station.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Other biodiversity None known.

Protection status None

Conservation response None known.

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Inaccessible Islands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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