Kidney Island

Not to be confused with Kidney Islands

Kidney Island
Falkland Islands
Location
Location:	51°37’28"S, 57°45’3"W
Area:	82 acres
Data

Kidney Island so called due to its shape, is a small island with a land area of 82 acres, to the east of East Falkland, not far from Stanley. It is a nature reserve and, unlike most of the main islands, is still covered in tussock grass. Its wildlife includes rockhopper penguins, Gentoo penguins, magellanic penguins and sea lions. It is one of only three places in the archipelago where king penguins breed; the others are Saunders Island and Volunteer Point on East Falkland.

The island is a visitor attraction, about a 30-minute journey by boat from Stanley. Visitors to Kidney are strictly by permit and must be accompanied by a guide.

The island is at the east end of Berkeley Sound near Kidney Cove, and is separated from Port William by Menguera Point.

History

During the Falklands War, on 1 May 1982, Islas Malvinas GC82, an Argentine Z-28 type naval patrol boat was damaged near the island by a Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3 helicopter from HMS Alacrity, which helicopter was damaged by return fire from an Argentine armed fishing vessel.

Important Bird Area

Kidney Island, together with the nearby and much smaller Cochon Island, has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area. Birds for which the site is of conservation significance include Falkland steamer ducks (15 breeding pairs), southern rockhopper penguins (500 pairs), Magellanic penguins, white-chinned petrels (1000 pairs), sooty shearwaters, blackish cinclodes and Cobb's wrens.