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TF001
Île de la Possession
Location French Southern Territories, Îles Crozet
Central coordinates 51o 45.00' East  46o 24.00' South
IBA criteria A1, A2, A4i, A4ii, A4iii
Area 14,600 ha
Altitude 0 - 934m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box for key species. At least 28 species breed. In addition to those given below, these include 2,000 pairs of Pygoscelis papua, 1,150 pairs Phoebetria palpebrata and 84 pairs of Macronectes giganteus. Numbers of Anas eatoni and Chionis minor are believed to exceed thresholds, but no quantitative data are available. Ten pairs of Diomedea chrysostoma were recorded breeding in 1984. The smaller species breed only at higher altitudes due to the presence of rats lower down.

Site description Île de la Possession is the largest of the five Crozet Islands. Its mountainous landscape is cut by deep glaciated valleys. The valleys and coastal areas are covered in subantarctic vegetation. Black rats occur over most of the island. The island is uninhabited by man except for a research station on the eastern tip of the island, staffed by approximately 20 people.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Eaton's Pintail Anas eatoni resident  1999  present [units unknown]  -  A1, A2  Vulnerable 
King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus breeding  1995  85,700 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Northern Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes moseleyi breeding  1984  120,000 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Endangered 
Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus breeding  1984  800,000 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Vulnerable 
Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans breeding  1999  373 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Vulnerable 
Sooty Albatross Phoebetria fusca breeding  1984  650 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Endangered 
Light-mantled Albatross Phoebetria palpebrata breeding  1984  1,150 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Near Threatened 
Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma breeding  -  present [units unknown]  -  A1  Vulnerable 
Northern Giant-petrel Macronectes halli breeding  1984  558 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4ii  Least Concern 
Medium-billed Prion Pachyptila salvini breeding  1984  20,000-90,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Kerguelen Petrel Lugensa brevirostris breeding  1984  2,000-9,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis breeding  1984  2,000-9,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
South Georgia Diving-petrel Pelecanoides georgicus breeding  1984  20,000-90,000 breeding pairs  -  A4ii  Least Concern 
Imperial Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps breeding  1984  296 breeding pairs  -  A4i  Least Concern 
Kerguelen Tern Sterna virgata breeding  1984  38 breeding pairs  -  A1, A4i  Near Threatened 

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research -
not utilised -

Other biodiversity Two species of fur seal breed on the island, Arctocephalus gazella and A. tropicalis, with respectively, 87 and 190 pups in 1991. Numbers have been increasing recently with the cessation of hunting. In 1997, 570 female Mirounga leonina bred. The coastal waters are inhabited by approximately 80 Orcinus orca (LR/cd). Two plants and 59 arthropod species endemic to the Îles Crozet occur.

Management considerations Access to several parts of the island important for wildlife is restricted as they have been declared ‘Areas restricted to scientific and technical research’. Rats seriously affect the breeding of numerous species of petrel.

References Guinet et al. (1994, 1999), Jouventin and Micol (1992), Jouventin et al. (1984, 1988, 1996), Weimerskirch and Jouventin (1987, 1997), Weimerskirch et al. (1992, 1999).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Île de la Possession. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013

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