Data Zone
Country/territory: Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
IBA criteria met: A1, A4ii, A4iii (2006)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 248 hectares (2.48 km2)
Site description (2006 baseline)
Located towards the southern end of Falkland Sound, there
is little information available regarding the status of any of
these islands. All of them have very good Tussac cover, but
exact population counts are unavailable and their pest
status is unknown, though Cecil Bertrand saw no rats in
the 1930s (see under ‘Further reading’, below). Islands in
this group were reported as having been stocked
intermittently with cattle, probably between the 1930s and
1948; Stinker Island was grazed until 1985.
The ketch Penelope passed through the group on 12
December 2001 while on the Felton’s Flower Project
voyage. Observations of the topography, vegetation and
birds of some of the islands were possible. Golden Knob
has almost complete Tussac cover and a narrow, near-level
sand beach. Stinker Island is covered by Tussac and has a
boulder beach, while Sandy Cay also has very good Tussac
and a boulder beach with a broad sand slope on the eastern
half. Elephant Cays (West) has a massive reef extending
westward and a long eroded sandy area between cliffs with
Tussac above. Elephant Cays (Southwest) also has cliffs.
Key biodiversity
This group of islands is the most important breeding site
for Southern Giant-petrels in the world. Counts were made
in early 2005. There is no complete list of birds, but it is
probable that at least 20 species breed, possibly including
burrowing petrels and Storm-petrels. Two small colonies of
Imperial Shags were seen on the north-western and southwestern
cays in December 2001. Tussacbird adults were
seen on Stinker Island in December 2001 and Cobb’s Wrens
are likely to be present. As their status is unknown they do
not qualify the site.
Non-bird biodiversity: Little is known, but from counts at sea, between 80 and 100 Southern Sea Lion pups are born each year within the group.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Elephant Cays Group (Falkland Islands (Malvinas)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/elephant-cays-group-iba-falkland-islands-(malvinas) on 23/12/2024.