DOCSLIB.ORG

BLEAKER ISLAND Wonderful Wildlife on a Falkland Farm

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
BLEAKER ISLAND Wonderful Wildlife on a Falkland Farm BLEAKER ISLAND Wonderful wildlife on a Falkland farm www.falklandsconservation.com BLEAKER ISLAND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS The Falkland Islands archipelago lies GRAND JASON 350 km (280 miles) to the east of the South STEEPLE JASON N FLAT JASON SEDGE ISLAND JASON ISLANDS ELEPHANT JASON Cape Dolphin American continent. It consists of two large SOUTH JASON PEBBLE ISLAND SAUNDERS KEPPEL Swan ISLAND CARCASS ISLAND Pond ISLAND Macbride Head DUNBAR Foul Bay Limpet Ronda ISLAND Creek islands, East and West Falkland, and more WEST Salvador Rincon Seal Port Bay POINT Purvis Douglas Grande Johnsons Byron Shallow Bay Port San Carlos Station Harbour ISLAND Dunbar Sound Horseshoe Volunteer Point MT CAROLINE Chata WEST Hill Cove Ajax Bay Port Louis SPLIT ISLAND Bay Creek Eagle Point than 750 small islands and islets. Roy Cove Many Branch MT ADAM Berkeley Sound FALKLAND San Carlos Teal Inlet Brookfield Long island KIDNEY ISLAND King Crooked Inlet 2297 D PASSAGE George Port N Port William ISLANDS UGrantham Bay Howard O Sound MT USBORNE S STANLEY Cape Pembroke NEW Chartres 2312 Shag D WICKHAM ISLAND N HEIGHTS Dunnose Cove A Mt Pleasant L Bluff Cove Head K Darwin Airport L A Fitzroy SWAN F Goose Green Queen ISLANDS EAST BEAVER Charlotte Spring Lake A Bertha’s ISLAND Bay Point I Mare Harbour Sulivan C Beach N hoiseul Sound FALKLAND Port Fox Bay Fox Bay O Lake West East Walker Richards Double F Creek WEDDELL Hammond GREAT ISLAND Creek ISLAND A LIVELY ISLAND Smiley Channel South RUGGLES L Harbour ISLAND Port Edgar North Arm ELEPHANT CAYS Port Stephens MOTLEY ISLAND TRISTE Hoste Inlet ISLAND BIRD ISLAND Port Albermarle SPEEDWELL 52°S 1500 ISLAND BLEAKER ISLAND ARCH Visitor Accommodation ISLANDS Cape Meredith 1000 GEORGE ISLAND Bull Point Porpoise Point 500 BARREN ISLAND Constructed in 2011, Cassard House SEA LION EASTERLY Miles 0 010203040 SEA LION ISLAND Heights in feet 01020 30 40 50 60 provides high quality accommodation for above sea level Kms 61°W 60°W 59°W 58°W eight people in four ensuite bedrooms. The house has solar-powered underfloor BEAUCHÊNE ISLAND Bleaker Island lies close to the south-east coast heating and hot water, triple glazing, high of East Falkland, at the entrance to Adventure insulation levels, a large conservatory and Sound. a heat recovery unit. Cassard Point (named after a French sailing vessel The nearby Cobb’s Cottage (named after wrecked here in 1906) is only half a mile (800 m) Arthur Cobb, farm manager and naturalist, away from Driftwood Point on the mainland. who lived on the Island from 1906 to the Bleaker Island is reached by a 30-minute flight 1920s) has two twin ensuite bedrooms, a from Stanley, or Mount Pleasant Complex, with the sun lounge, full central heating, TV/radio Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS). and WiFi. Passengers from cruise ships arrive by Zodiac on Both units have fully equipped kitchens, the 1·6 km (1 mile) long beach at Sandy Bay. provided bed linen and 24-hour power, Together with its outlying islands, the Bleaker and are available on a self-catering or full Island Group is internationally recognised as an board basis. They are located within easy Important Bird Area (FK04). The northern part of walking distance to penguins, cormorants, the Island is a National Nature Reserve. seals and wildfowl. Booking enquiries to: Tel: +500 32491 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bleakerisland.com COVER PHOTO: Imperial cormorants About Bleaker Island Bleaker Island was first known as Long Island and seabirds. An extensive tussac grass fringe (and referred to as such on the chart compiled by of 4 km (2½ miles) is found on the eastern coast the Beagle survey of which Charles Darwin was of the island near the settlement and is a haven a part in 1834). It subsequently became Breaker for songbirds and sea lions. Other bare and Island, after the large waves that crash against it, eroded areas have been fenced and are being but since at least 1857 it has been called Bleaker replanted with tussac. Established tussac areas Island – although it is far from bleak. are managed sustainably to provide winter The island covers 2,070 ha (5,155 acres) with fodder for cattle. The farm is organic, using no a varied coastline of low cliffs, sloping bedrock fertilisers or drugs. beaches, wide sandy bays and sheltered coves. Flowers on Bleaker include the yellow and It is 20 km (12½ miles) long and never more dog orchids, lady’s slipper, common violet than 3·2 km (2 miles) wide, with gentle hills, and vanilla daisy. Queen of the Falklands the highest point being Semaphore Point 27 m fritillary butterflies breed in the Pebbly Bay (89 ft), north-east of the settlement. area, feeding on native violet flowers. Forty For many years the Island was owned by the different breeding birds have been recorded, Falkland Islands Company and it has been a including Magellanic, southern rockhopper, sheep farm for over 100 years. Now privately macaroni and gentoo penguins and a owned, and under organic sustainable very large colony of imperial cormorants. management, it has 1,000 sheep and a nucleus Peale’s dolphins reside in the bays south of the of 55 Hereford breeding cows (imported from settlement year round. Sea lions are found on Chile in 2004). Here wildlife and domestic Bleaker in the summer months. Sei whales can animals happily co-exist. be seen frequently off the island in late summer and autumn. Extensive greens around the Island provide excellent pasture – naturally fertilised by geese LAMBING SEASON BLEAKER ISLAND The lambing season is from Gull Old airstrip October to December. Point Penguin WARNING During this time visitors are Hill Bleaker Island is Falkland skua asked to take extra care not territory - please be careful Please follow the guidelines to disturb ewes as they may Gentoo MAINTAIN A DISTANCE of abandon lambs if startled. N penguins >6 m 6 m (20 ft) between you and Magellanic WARNING Please avoid any wildlife at all times. penguins gentoo 'highway' KEY WILDLIFE HAVE RIGHT OF WAY SANDY BAY AT ALL TIMES. Do not block wildlife Hiking route Ghost from returning or entering the sea. no smoking WARNING Pond Magellanic penguin Island TAKE CARE on steep slopes and 50 burrows – mind your step slippery rocks. Stream d 0 n The yellow orchid is protected by law. Kelp Beds Height in feet Excellent o Magellanic LEAVE GATES as you find them. P wildfowl penguins above sea level g no fires i BE AWARE of biosecurity. Tussac location B North Point Do not introduce invasive species Wildlife North Point to the area. Viewing Area Small Pond Island BE CAREFUL not to trample the Lafonia do not litter Cruise Ship burrows of nesting seabirds, Anchorage Point particularly those of Magellanic penguins. Avoid walking across Airstrip Imperial Semaphore 71 areas of high burrow density. Wire Fence cormorants Hill N Second no flash 89 k Gate Island ec x N x d x on Landing ec Ramp x BLEAKER S ck SETTLEMENT x e x x N x Southern t First s rockhopper ir F Island x Long penguins See enlargement Gulch for more detail Pebbly Bay Gull Point 0 Kms 0·5 1 1.5 x Miles 0 0·5 1 Halt Island Sandy Bay Kilometres Ghost 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Island Big Pond 0 1 2 3 4 5 Lafonia Pt. Miles Third Sandy Bay Isld. Island ADVENTURE SOUND Semaphore Second Isld. Hill Wineglass Point First Isld. Settlement Pebbly BayLong Gulch Ram Paddock Pond 52 Bleaker Island The lady’s slipper is endemic to the Avoid areas where Magellanic South Falkland Islands. penguins are nesting underground. Cassard Point. Exploring Bleaker Island The northern end of Sandy Bay (cruise ship landing beach) teems with gentoo penguins. There are 2,000 breeding pairs on Penguin Hill. An easy short walk south from Sandy Bay to Long Gulch will reward the visitor with good views of many Falkland breeding birds. Watch out in particular for Magellanic penguins, southern and striated caracaras, brown skuas, ruddy-headed geese and two-banded plovers. Snowy sheathbills, a non-breeding visitor, can be Crested caracara seen particularly around the colonies of penguins and imperial cormorants. Between Sandy Bay and the Settlement lies Big Pond. This and the two smaller ponds to the north are popular with Chiloë wigeon, southern silvery and white- tufted grebes, speckled and silver teal and Falkland steamer duck. Black-necked swans also breed here occasionally. On the south-east facing coast, among the tussac plantations (watch out for Sedge wrens), is a deep Snowy sheathbill fissure in the cliffs known as the Long Gulch. It is a favourite spot for an impressive number of seabirds which breed on the rocky ledges. Because it is an area inaccessible to rats, tussacbirds can also be found here. White-tufted grebe Bird checklist Falkland steamer duck Snowy sheathbill King penguin Chiloë wigeon Brown skua Gentoo penguin Speckled teal Kelp gull Macaroni penguin Crested duck Dolphin gull Southern rockhopper penguin Yellow-billed pintail Brown-headed gull Magellanic penguin Silver teal South American tern White-tufted grebe Turkey vulture Short-eared owl Southern silvery grebe Variable hawk Tussacbird Southern giant petrel Southern caracara Dark-faced ground-tyrant Southern fulmar Striated caracara Correndera pipit Rock shag Peregrine falcon Austral thrush Imperial cormorant Magellanic oystercatcher Sedge wren Black-crowned night-heron Blackish oystercatcher Long-tailed meadowlark Black-necked swan Two-banded plover White-bridled finch Kelp goose Rufous-chested dotterel Black-chinned siskin Upland goose South American snipe Ruddy-headed goose White-rumped sandpiper Seabirds of Bleaker Island This Island is particularly important for its colonies of cormorants.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Falkland Islands Seabird Monitoring Programme Annual Report 2019/2020 (SMP27)
    Falkland Islands Seabird Monitoring Programme Annual Report 2019/2020 (SMP27) Sarah Crofts & Andrew Stanworth August 2020 Funded by the Falkland Islands Government 0 Recommended citation: Crofts, S. & Stanworth, A. 2020. Falkland Islands Seabird Monitoring Programme ‐ Annual Report 2019/2020 (SMP27). Falklands Conservation, Stanley. Falklands Conservation, 41 Ross Road, Stanley, Falkland Islands Corresponding author: Sarah Crofts: [email protected] Falkland Islands Government Denise Blake (Environmental Officer): [email protected] Falklands Conservation is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No. 3661322 and Registered Charity No. 1073859 Registered Office: 2nd Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN Telephone: +44 (0)1767 679039, [email protected] Registered as an Overseas Company in the Falkland Islands 1 Summary The Falkland Islands support seabird populations that are of global importance; both numerically, and in terms of conservation status. Accordingly, fluctuations in local populations may substantially affect the global conservation status of these species. The Falkland Islands Seabird Monitoring Programme (FISMP) monitors Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) at 11 sites (17 colonies), Southern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes c. chrysocome) and Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) at five sites (14 colonies) and Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) at one site (one colony). King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and Black‐browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris)
    [Show full text]
  • South Georgia and Antarctic Odyssey
    South Georgia and Antarctic Odyssey 30 November – 18 December 2019 | Greg Mortimer About Us Aurora Expeditions embodies the spirit of adventure, travelling to some of the most wild opportunity for adventure and discovery. Our highly experienced expedition team of and remote places on our planet. With over 28 years’ experience, our small group voyages naturalists, historians and destination specialists are passionate and knowledgeable – they allow for a truly intimate experience with nature. are the secret to a fulfilling and successful voyage. Our expeditions push the boundaries with flexible and innovative itineraries, exciting Whilst we are dedicated to providing a ‘trip of a lifetime’, we are also deeply committed to wildlife experiences and fascinating lectures. You’ll share your adventure with a group education and preservation of the environment. Our aim is to travel respectfully, creating of like-minded souls in a relaxed, casual atmosphere while making the most of every lifelong ambassadors for the protection of our destinations. DAY 1 | Saturday 30 November 2019 Ushuaia, Beagle Channel Position: 20:00 hours Course: 83° Wind Speed: 20 knots Barometer: 991 hPa & steady Latitude: 54°49’ S Wind Direction: W Air Temp: 6° C Longitude: 68°18’ W Sea Temp: 5° C Explore. Dream. Discover. —Mark Twain in the soft afternoon light. The wildlife bonanza was off to a good start with a plethora of seabirds circling the ship as we departed. Finally we are here on the Beagle Channel aboard our sparkling new ice-strengthened vessel. This afternoon in the wharf in Ushuaia we were treated to a true polar welcome, with On our port side stretched the beech forested slopes of Argentina, while Chile, its mountain an invigorating breeze sweeping the cobwebs of travel away.
    [Show full text]
  • Full Text in Pdf Format
    Vol. 651: 163–181, 2020 MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Published October 1 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13439 Mar Ecol Prog Ser OPEN ACCESS Habitat preferences, foraging behaviour and bycatch risk among breeding sooty shearwaters Ardenna grisea in the Southwest Atlantic Anne-Sophie Bonnet-Lebrun1,2,3,8,*, Paulo Catry1, Tyler J. Clark4,9, Letizia Campioni1, Amanda Kuepfer5,6,7, Megan Tierny6, Elizabeth Kilbride4, Ewan D. Wakefield4 1MARE − Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal 2Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK 3Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS — Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier — EPHE, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France 4Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK 5FIFD — Falkland Islands Fisheries Department, Falkland Islands Government, PO Box 598, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ, UK 6SAERI — South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ, UK 7Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK 8Present address: British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB4 0ET, UK 9Present address: Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, Montana 59812, USA ABSTRACT: Pelagic seabirds are important components of many marine ecosystems. The most abundant species are medium/small sized petrels (<1100 g), yet the sub-mesoscale (<10 km) distri- bution, habitat use and foraging behaviour of this group are not well understood. Sooty shearwaters Ardenna grisea are among the world’s most numerous pelagic seabirds.
    [Show full text]
  • RSPB Sabbatical Assisting with FISMP
    Issue No.4 MidLate- Summer Summer 2014 2015 RSPB Sabbatical assisting with FISMP After a lot of planning and the long flight By Janet Fairclough The second half of my sabbatical saw us from the UK, I finally arrived in the travel the length and breadth of East Falkland Islands in late October 2016, Falkland, bumping along tracks and excited to be spending four weeks across camp to get to the penguin assisting with Falkland Conservation’s colonies that needed counting. We annual Seabird Monitoring Programme. visited Bull Point, Low Bay, Motley Point, New Haven, Race Point, This incredible opportunity was made Volunteer Point, Lagoon Sands and Cow possible thanks to RSPB sabbaticals and Bay. Falklands Conservation’s willingness for me to visit and lend a hand. RSPB In the UK, I work as a Farm sabbaticals are a benefit which allows Conservation Adviser, mostly in the long-established employees to take four more remote upland areas of Northern weeks out of their day-to-day job to Secondly, we counted the albatross, England. As such, I was very interested work on projects that support the work gentoo penguin, southern rockhopper in finding out a bit about farming and of the RSPB and key BirdLife partners, penguin and southern giant petrel habitats in the Falkland Islands as we such as Falklands Conservation. colonies, using a combination of direct travelled around East Falkland. counts, taking photos with a go-pro on a The first half of my visit was spent on Sheep, cattle, acid grassland, dwarf- long pole, and photos using a drone.
    [Show full text]
  • Integrating Habitat and Partial Survey Data to Estimate the Regional Population of a Globally Declining Seabird Species, the Sooty Shearwater
    Global Ecology and Conservation 17 (2019) e00554 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Global Ecology and Conservation journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/gecco Original Research Article Integrating habitat and partial survey data to estimate the regional population of a globally declining seabird species, the sooty shearwater * Tyler J. Clark a, , 1, Jason Matthiopoulos a, Anne-Sophie Bonnet-Lebrun b, c, Letizia Campioni d, Paulo Catry d, Ilaria Marengo e, Sally Poncet f, Ewan Wakefield a a Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK b Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK c Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - Universite de Montpellier - Universite Paul-Valery Montpellier e EPHE, France d MARE e Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitario, 1149-041, Lisboa, Portugal e SAERI - South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ, UK f The Antarctic Research Trust, Stanley, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ, UK article info abstract Article history: Many animal populations are thought to be in flux due to anthropogenic impacts. How- Received 21 November 2018 ever, censusing organisms to understand such changes is often impractical. For example, Accepted 3 February 2019 while it is thought that over half of pelagic seabird populations are declining, most breed in burrows or on cliffs, in large, remote colonies, making them difficult to count. Burrow- Keywords: nesting sooty shearwaters (Ardenna grisea) are abundant but declining in their core (South Ardenna grisea Pacific) breeding range, potentially due to introduced rodents and habitat loss. In contrast, Burrowing petrels Kidney Island, their largest colony in the Falkland Islands (Southwest Atlantic), purportedly Habitat preference Puffinus griseus grew by several orders of magnitude since the mid-1900s.
    [Show full text]
  • A Scoping Study for Potential Community-Based Carbon Offsetting Schemes in the Falkland Islands
    A SCOPING STUDY FOR POTENTIAL COMMUNITY-BASED CARBON OFFSETTING SCHEMES IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS Chris Evans, Jonathan Ritson, Jim McAdam, Stefanie Carter, Andrew Stanworth and Katherine Ross Date: revised Sept 2020 Undertaken by Funded by Recommended citation: Evans, C. et al (2020). A scoping study for potential community‐based carbon offsetting schemes in the Falkland Islands. Report to Falklands Conservation, Stanley. Author affiliations: Chris Evans (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) Jonathan Ritson (University of Manchester), Jim McAdam (Queen’s University Belfast and Falkland Islands Trust), Stefanie Carter (South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute), Andrew Stanworth (Falklands Conservation) and Katherine Ross (Falklands Conservation). Falklands Conservation: Jubilee Villas, 41 Ross Road, Stanley, Falkland Islands Corresponding author: [email protected] www.falklandsconservation.com Charity Information: Falklands Conservation: Registered Charity No. 1073859. A company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 3661322 Registered Office: 2nd Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN Telephone: +44 (0) 1767 693710, [email protected] Registered as an Overseas Company in the Falkland Islands ii Contents A SCOPING STUDY FOR POTENTIAL COMMUNITY‐BASED CARBON OFFSETTING SCHEMES IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS .................................................................................................................................. i Summary ................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Sea Lion Islands: a Chronological History
    The Sea Lion Islands: A Chronological History D. Bailey, Historian in Residence, 2019 Sea Lion Island is the most Southerly occupied Island in the Falklands archipelago and is the largest of the ‘Sea Lion Islands’ group. They first appear named on a map of ‘Hawkins Maidenland’ in 1689 and have been known as the Sea Lion Islands since. Not a great deal is known about Sea Lion Island’s history between its discovery and the mid- nineteenth century but it is safe to assume that the bountiful stocks of seals and sea lions were brutally exploited by the many (predominantly American) sealers visiting the Falklands to take advantage of their lack of protection. In terms of ownership, the islands are first mentioned included in a grant issued to Alexander Ross and Samuel Lafone (who lent his name to Lafonia) in 1846. In their early prospectus (1849) they mention the islands’ use for the profitable sealing industry that had been steadily wiping out the populations on the islands for the best part of a hundred years. The Sea Lion Islands are referred to as being “favourite resorts of these valuable animals” but it was later noted that “…Hitherto, these valuable rookeries have been so much poached by French and American adventurers and fished in so indiscriminate a manner, that on some of the best grounds the animals are becoming shy and scarce;…” As with many of the Falkland Islands, Sea Lion Island does have a rich maritime history often linked either to the perilous waters around Cape Horn or to the shallow reefs off the island itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Tussock World
    HABITAT Tussock World Unique Kidney Island in the Falklands --"a precious little world of its own" Olin Sewall Pettingill, Jr. N THEMANY treeless islands that When Mrs. Pettingill and I went to the watchers. We were welcome to use the emerge from the windy oceans of Falklands for six months in 1953-1954 to hut for as long as we wanted it; nobody the Southern Hemisphere, no plant study and film birds, we were im- had occupied it recently. Snapping up form is more characteristic or provides mediately advisedthat, of all places, we this opportunity, Eleanor and I spent more important habitat for birdlife than must not miss Kidney Island; indeed, altogetherfive weeks on the island dur- the tussockgrass (Poa spp.). It thrives we shouldspend as much time there as ing three different periods in the late dose to the sea, blanketing the smaller possible. It was one of the few smaller spring and early summer. islands and fringing the larger ones. tussock islands off the coast of East Rarely does it reach inland beyond the Falkland, just seven miles away from IDNEYISLAND, above the tide line, moisture-laden winds and storm-tossed Stanley, the capital and the colony's covered 80 acres. Its north side spray. only town. Its cover of tussock grass faced the open sea with 50-foot cliffs. Tussock grass grows on rocky sur- (P. fiabellata) was especially luxuriant; When we viewed its south side one half- faces, starting from crevices or other consequently over the years farmers mileaway from East Falkland,what We indentations--wherever it can gain had made a practice of harvestingit for saw was a low pale green rise from the foothold.
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of the Abundance and Distribution of Striated Caracaras Phalcoboenus Australis on the Falkland Islands Micky Reeves &Am
    A review of the abundance and distribution of Striated Caracaras Phalcoboenus australis on the Falkland Islands Aniket Sardana Micky Reeves & Sarah Crofts Falklands Conservation, May 2015 The authors dedicate this report to Mr. Ian Strange and Mr. Robin Woods whose earlier surveys laid much ground work. This work was funded by: Falklands Conservation is a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales #3661322 and Registered Charity #1073859. Registered as an Overseas Company in the Falkland Islands. Roy Smith “These birds, generally known among sealers by the name of “Johnny” rook, partake of the form and nature of the hawk and crow… Their claws are armed with large and strong talons, like those of an eagle; they are exceedingly bold and the most mischievous of all the feathered creation. The sailors who visit these islands, being often much vexed at their predatory tricks, have bestowed different names upon them, characteristic of their nature, as flying monkeys, flying devils….” Charles Bernard 1812‐13 “A tameness or lack of wariness is an example of the loss of defensive adaptations.... an ecological naiveté…these animals aren’t imbeciles. Evolution has merely prepared them for a life in a world that is simpler and more innocent”…. where humans are entirely outside their experience. David Quammen (Island Biography in an age of extinction) 1996 1 ABSTRACT The Falkland Islands are globally important for the Striated Caracaras (Phalcoboenus australis). They reside mainly on the outer islands of the archipelago in strong associated with seabird populations, and where human interference is relatively low. A survey of the breeding population conducted in the austral summers of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 indicates that the current population is likely to be the highest it has been for perhaps the last 100 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Freshwater Fish in the Falklands
    Freshwater fish in the Falklands Conservation of native zebra trout Echo Goodwin, North Arm School A report by Katherine Ross to the Falkland Islands Government and Falklands Conservation, 2009. Summary • Only two species of freshwater fish, Zebra trout (Aplochiton zebra) and Falklands minnows (Galaxias maculatus) are native to the Falklands. • Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were introduced to the Falklands in the 1940’s and 1950’s. They can spend part of their life cycle at sea which has allowed them to spread across the islands causing a catastrophic decline in the distribution of zebra trout. The ways by which brown trout remove zebra trout probably include predation on juvenile fish and competition for food. • Zebra trout are long lived and therefore adult populations may persist for many years where juveniles no longer survive. Such populations can become extinct suddenly. • Freshwater fish of the Falklands were last surveyed in 1999. • This project investigated the distribution of freshwater fish in West and East Falkland by electrofishing, netting and visual surveys and identified conservation priorities for zebra trout. • Zebra trout populations were found in Lafonia, the south of West Falkland and Port Howard. Brown trout were found across much of Lafonia where their range appears to have expanded since 1999. • Once brown trout have invaded a catchment they are very difficult to remove. Controlling the spread of brown trout is therefore an urgent priority if zebra trout are to be conserved. • Freshwater habitats where zebra trout were found were generally in good condition but in some areas perched culverts may prevent juvenile zebra trout from returning to freshwaters (we think larval zebra trout spend their first few months at sea).
    [Show full text]
  • Carcass Island.Pdf
    CARCASS ISLAND VERSION: 12 June 2018 CARCASS ISLAND Carcass Island is in the north west of the Falkland Islands at 51˚18’S 60˚34’W and is approximately 4,680 acres. HMS Jason, a frigate of 32 guns, HMS Carcass a sloop, and the storeship HMS Experiment left England in September 1765 and, sailing via Madeira and the Cape Verde Islands, arrived in Port Egmont 8 January 1766. The expedition under Captain McBride had all the provisions and necessaries, including a ready framed wooden blockhouse, to establish a permanent settlement on Saunders Island. During February 1766 HMS Carcass sounded the harbour and surveyed about the island which now bears her name. Port Pattison was named after her captain. On 11 December 1850 the American ship Waldron under Captain MOORE took fire at sea and was abandoned by the crew between Carcass Island and New Island. The Waldron was an American ship of 600 ton on a voyage from Boston to California with a cargo of coals. On 11 September 1872 Charles HANSEN was granted a Special Lease of Carcass Island, the Jason Islands and other adjacent islands for an annual sum of £20 for a term of 7, 14 or 21 years. The area was described as: all those Islands known as Steeple Jason, Grand Jason, Elephant Jason, South Jason, Flat Jason, North Fur Island and Carcass Island and other small Islets as delineated by a line of demarcation inscribed on the Chart in the Office of the Surveyor General. During the continuance of the lease Charles was not allowed to kill a greater number of penguins in the course of any one year that would yield 16,000 gallons of oil and at the end of each year from the date of the lease he was to make a declaration to the Government that he had not killed more penguins than this.
    [Show full text]
  • International Tours & Travel the Falkland Islands Travel Specialists
    Welcome to the Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands Travel Specialists International Tours & Travel www.falklandislands.travel FALKLAND ISLANDS Grand Steeple 1186 Jason Jason 779 Pebble Is. Marble Mt 909 Cape Dolphin First Mt 723 Carcass Is. THE ROOKERY THE NECK 1384 Kepple Is. Rookery Mt Elephant Saunders Is. Beach Farm West Point Is. 1211 Salvador Cli Mt Coutts Hill Douglas 926 Dunbar 751 Salvador Hill Johnson’s 1709 Mt Rosalie Port Station Volunteer Byron Heights Shallow 1396 San Carlos Harbour Mt D’Arcy Point Bay Bombilla Hill Hill Cove 1370 938 er S 648 v RACE POINT a Ri arrah n Port Louis W FARM C a r l o s Roy Cove R BERKLEY SOUND San Carlos i v e Teal Inlet Port r WEST FALKLAND KINGSFORD Long Island 2297 Howard VALLEY FARM Malo Hill 658 Crooked Mt Adam Mt Maria 871 KING 2158 River Mt Low Inlet Muer Jack Mt Marlo Murrell Passage Is. GEORGE 1796 Mt Kent Mt Longdon BAY D 1504 Smoko Mt Two Sisters Cape 2312 1392 Mt Tumbledown N Mt William Pembroke Chartres Saladero Mt Usborne Mt Wickham U 2056 Stanley O Blu Mt Moody Fitzroy River Dunnose Head 1816 S New Haven Mount Pleasant Cove New Is. Little Airport Fitzroy Chartres Darwin Mt Sulivan Spring Point 1554 Goose QUEEN D Lake Green Bertha’s CHARLOTTE Sulivan N Beach Beaver Is. BAY A LAFONIA CHOISEUL SOUND Weddell Is. L EAST FALKLAND 1256 Fox Bay (E) K Mt Weddell Fox Bay (W) Walker South L Harbour Creek A Lively Is. Port Edgar F Mt Emery Mt Young 1164 1115 North Port Arm Mt Alice Stephens 1185 Speedwell Is.
    [Show full text]