The Weddell Islands are a group of small islands and rocks lying south of Saddle Island and lying north of the western end of

Laurie Island Laurie Island is the second largest of the South Orkney Islands. The island is claimed by both Argentina as part of Argentine Antarctica, and the United Kingdom as part of the British Antarctic Territory. However, under the Antarctic Treaty Sy ...

, in the

South Orkney Islands The South Orkney Islands are a group of islands in the Southern Ocean, about north-east of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

. They were probably first seen during a joint cruise by Captains Nathaniel B. Palmer and George Powell in December 1821. The name first appears on

James Weddell James Weddell (24 August 1787 – 9 September 1834) was a British sailor, navigator and seal hunter who in February 1823 sailed to latitude of 74° 15′ S—a record 7.69 degrees or 532 statute miles south of the Antarct ...

's chart resulting from his exploration of the South Orkney Islands in 1823.

Important Bird Area

A 30 ha site, comprising the largest island and some smaller islands immediately to the west, with the intervening marine area, has been designated an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

(IBA) by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

because it supports breeding colonies totalling some 28,000 pairs of ''Pygoscelis'' penguins, estimated from 2011 satellite imagery, breeding along the lower slopes of the coastline. Other birds confirmed as breeding in the area include

Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...

and

snow petrel The snow petrel (''Pagodroma nivea'') is the only member of the genus ''Pagodroma.'' It is one of only three birds that has been seen at the Geographic South Pole, along with the Antarctic petrel and the south polar skua, which have the most so ...

References

Important Bird Areas of Antarctica Penguin colonies Seabird colonies Islands of the South Orkney Islands {{SouthOrkneys-geo-stub

Important Bird Area

See also

References