Haswell Island is the largest of the Haswell Islands, lying off the coast of Antarctica, about 3 kilometres (1.5 nmi) north of Mabus Point in Queen Mary Land. It was discovered by the Western Base Party of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–14, under Mawson, and named by him for Professor William A. Haswell, a zoologist at Sydney University and a member of the expedition's Advisory Committee.[1]

Haswell Island
Haswell Island is located in Antarctica
Haswell Island
Haswell Island
Location in Antarctica
Geography
LocationAntarctica
Coordinates66°31′S 93°0′E / 66.517°S 93.000°E / -66.517; 93.000
Administration
Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System
Demographics
PopulationUninhabited

Birds

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The island is a unique site for almost all bird species breeding in East Antarctica, including Antarctic petrels, Antarctic fulmars, Cape petrels, snow petrels, Wilson's storm petrels, south polar skuas and Adélie penguins. To the south-east of the island, there is a large colony of emperor penguins breeding on fast ice. The island and the adjacent emperor penguin rookery site are protected under the Antarctic Treaty System as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.127.[2] The same 500 ha site, comprising the whole island as well as the adjoining sea ice where the emperor penguins breed, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.[3] The area also supports five species of seals, including Ross seals.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Haswell Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  2. ^ a b "Haswell Island and Adjacent Emperor Penguin Rookery on Fast Ice" (PDF). Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 127: Measure 1, Annex B. Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. 2006. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  3. ^ "Haswell Island". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
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