Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site covers the northern part of Péninsule Loranchet, the northernmost part of Grande Terre. The southern border of the site is defined by a line running inland from the head of the Baie de la Dauphine. The coastline is extremely rugged with steep cliffs much dissected by fjords, while inland the relief is equally precipitate. Cats, rats and rabbits occur, but human visits are infrequent.
See Box for key species. At least 23 species breed. In addition to the
Eudyptes chrysolophus rookery on the tip of the peninsula, 5,400 pairs of
Eudyptes chrysocome also breed. There is a small colony of
Diomedea melanophris (400 pairs). Several species of petrel occur, but only in small numbers.
Daption capense and
Phalacrocorax verrucosus are frequent on the cliffs. It is possible that numbers of breeding
Phoebetria palpebrata,
Phalacrocorax verrucosus and
Anas eatoni exceed thresholds, but quantitative data are lacking.
Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals Mirounga leonina and Arctocephalus gazella breed.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The site is completely unprotected. The presence of introduced mammals has almost certainly reduced the ornithological importance of the site.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Northern part of Péninsule Loranchet (French Southern Territories). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/northern-part-of-péninsule-loranchet-iba-french-southern-territories on 23/12/2024.
