Joubin Islands
The Joubin Islands are a group of small islands lying three nautical miles south-west of Cape Monaco, a headland of Anvers Island, at the south-western end of the Palmer Archipelago of the British Antarctic Territory.
The Lenie Passage to the south-east separates the Joubin Islands from the Gossler Islands and the hazard of the Stayaway Skerries.
The islands were discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot: Chacot named them 'IÎlots Joubin' for Louis Joubin, the French zoologist responsible for publication of the biological reports of the Expedition. The islands were photographed from the air by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition in 1956.
The Joubin Islands have been designated a 'Restricted Zone' under Antarctic Specially Managed Area ASMA 7 ('Southwest Anvers Island and Palmer Basin'), which includes the marine area extending 55 yards from the shorelines.[1]
The islands in the group are small. They include:
- Bielecki Island
- Dakers Island
- Hartshorne Island
- Howard Island
- McGuire Island
- Ouellette Island
- Robbins Island
- Trundy Island
- Tukey Island
Environment
The islands share a volcanic and granitic geological origin with Anvers Island. Their vegetation, which is typical of the region, consists of a variety of mosses, lichens and algae, as well as the flowering plants |Antarctic Hairgrass ('Deschampsia antarctica') and Antarctic pearlwort ('Colobanthus quitensis').[1]
Important Bird Area
The islands have been identified as an 'Important Bird Area' by BirdLife International because they support a breeding colony of about 250 pairs of imperial shags. Other birds nesting on the islands include Adélie, gentoo and chinstrap penguins as well as southern giant petrels.[1]
Location
- Location map: 64°46’59"S, 64°25’59"W
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Joubin Islands IBA: BirdLife International
- Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Joubin Islands
