Heard Island

Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are home to a large number of eastern rockhopper, gentoo, macaroni, and king penguins. With more than one million breeding pairs, Heard Island contains about 20 percent of the world's macaroni penguins. The islands also contain substantial populations of elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals. They are a breeding site for at least 15 flying seabird species, including the Heard Island cormorant, a species unique to Heard Island. Commercial fishing of Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish takes place in the surrounding waters. Heard Island has seen rapid melting of its glaciers and other environmental changes in recent decades, largely due to climate change.