Current view: Text account
Site description (2015 baseline):
Site location and context
Atka Iceport is situated on the eastern coast of the Ekström Ice Shelf, Princess Martha Coast, Dronning Maud Land, ~10 km from its northerly terminus. The feature is a dynamic but persistent series of large cracks in the ice shelf that form embayments, and was used as a mooring in 1955 by the USS
Atka, after which the feature was named. An Emperor Penguin (
Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds along the coast where the cracks in the ice shelf occur and sea ice frequently persists.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine.
The nearest permanent station is Neumayer III (DEU) ~10 km south on the Ekström Ice Shelf.
Hempel & Stonehouse (1987) estimated ~8000 Emperor penguin chicks were present at the colony near Atka Iceport from an aerial survey conducted in late 1986. Recently, a photographic count in December 2007 estimated 11,000 chicks present at the colony (van Franeker
et al. 2010). Analysis of a satellite image acquired 08 Sept 2009 (Fretwell
et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 9657 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony. No other birds are known to breed in the area.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Neumayer III Station (DEU), with associated operational and support activities, is located in close proximity to the IBA. Visits by tourists appear to be minimal: only one tourist visit to the Atka Iceport area was reported in the 10 years between 2004-14, with 116 visitors landing in the 2010-11 season (IAATO Tourism Statistics, accessed: 18/12/2014).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Atka Iceport (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/atka-iceport-iba-antarctica on 23/11/2024.
