Data Zone
Country/territory: Antarctica
IBA criteria met: A4ii (2015)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 477 hectares (4.77 km2)
Site description (2015 baseline)
The Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf extends ~400 km between Cape Norvegia and Lyddan Island, on the Princess Martha Coast, Dronning Maud Land. An Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice on the northern coast of the Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf, ~90 km southwest of Seal Bay and ~140 km northeast of Cape Vestkapp.
The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine.
There are no research stations nearby. The summer stations Aboa (FIN) and Wasa (SWE) are situated ~120 km to the southeast at Basen Nunatak in the Vestfjella Mountains.
Key biodiversity
Hempel & Stonehouse (1987) estimated ~5000 Emperor penguin chicks were present at the colony near the Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf from an aerial survey conducted in late 1986. Analysis of a satellite image acquired 27 Oct 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 4013 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony, although image quality was rated as only Fair. No other birds are known to breed in the area.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf (Antarctica). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/riiser-larsen-ice-shelf-iba-antarctica on 27/12/2024.