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Site description (2006 baseline):
Site location and context
West Point Island lies off the most north-westerly point of
West Falkland. It is about 3.7 miles (6 km) long and no more
than 2.7 miles (4 km) at its widest. The dramatic west-facing
cliffs with gullies or sheer rock faces rising from the open
South Atlantic reach 350 m or more in height and the
scenery is spectacular. The southern third of the island has
impressive rock faces below Cliff Mountain and, further
south, Mount Misery (337 m) defines the narrow deep
channel to the east, known as the Woolly Gut. The
settlement is snug at the north-western edge of a large
harbour on the eastern coast, sheltered from the prevailing
westerlies. The vegetation is mostly short turf, upland heath
or feldmark with several large Tussac paddocks, some with
Cinnamon Grass Hierochloe redolens, replanted more than a
century ago. The valley across the island from the settlement
leads to the Devil’s Nose, a sheer-sided promontory with
accessible colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses and
Rockhopper Penguins, which attract many tourists from
cruise ships.
Gibraltar Rock lies approximately 1 mile (1.5 km) northwest
of Cape Terrible, West Point Island, and when viewed from
the sea appears in the shape of a slipper (hence its local
name, The Slipper), with the cliffs on the western side
forming the highest point at around 100 m. The island is
covered in very dense but low tussac and there are no
records of stocking or burning in the past.
Low Island is less than 0.6 miles (1 km) south-east of
Carcass Island in the north-western entrance of Byron
Sound, West Falkland. It reaches about 28 m in height
towards the northern coast, which has steep cliffs and
vertical rock strata. Large bays on the eastern and western
coasts enclose a lower area of heath and open grassland,
with bogs and a permanent pool. The southern coast is
rocky. Low Island has dense, mature Tussac on the northern
part and a fringe on the southern section. There were still
some retired dairy cows present on the island in 2000 and
these are thought to have had very little impact on the
Tussac. There are no plans to stock the island again after
they have died.
Dunbar Island lies at the entrance to Byron Sound about
750 m south-east of Low Island. It is about 2 miles (3.5 km)
from north-west to south-east and only about 0.6 miles (1
km) wide. The highest part, Dunbar Hill, is almost central at
89 m while it reaches 38 m and 53 m near the eastern and
western points respectively. There is serious soil erosion on
the northern slopes, probably due to heavy stocking with
sheep until 1969, when livestock were removed and the
vegetation was left to recover. Some mature Tussac remains
around the coastline, especially at the north-western point
and along the southern coastal slopes. Inland, the vegetation
is heathland with rocky outcrops. A small shanty stands
near the south-eastern point.
Carcass Island is 6 miles (10 km) from north-west to southeast
and has a maximum width of 1.5 miles (2.5 km). There
are large sand bays and a tidal rocky point to the north-west,
while the north-eastern coast has cliffs and slopes. The
highest point of the island is Mount Byng at 220 m. The
island also has several substantial freshwater ponds, mainly
towards North West Point, which are important waterfowl
sites. Carcass Island has been a sheep farm for more than a
century, but excellent management has left it with a varied
habitat and a diverse flora, including mature Tussac in
replanted coastal paddocks.
The Twins are two Tussac-covered islands, lying
approThe northern Twin is 600 m long and low lying, with dense
Tussac cover and apparently supports a good population of
Southern Sea Lions, while the southern Twin is 850 m from
south-east to north-west and has a more varied habitat.
Apart from a bay and sand dunes to the north-east, the
coast is mostly boulder beach.ximately 1.2 miles (2 km) north-west of Carcass Island.
Atotal of 50 species was recorded on or near West Point Island
during the Breeding Birds Survey 1983–93, of which 30 were
breeding or probably breeding. Seven of the native songbirds
were present but their numbers were low compared with
Carcass Island, where Tussacbirds and Cobb’s Wrens were
widespread and numerous. Gibraltar Rock has only four or five
songbird species but supports a large breeding population of
Thin-billed Prions, and it is probable that the Grey-backed
Storm-petrel is breeding there and on Carcass, Low, Dunbar
and The Twins. The Common Diving-petrel may breed on The
Twins and Dunbar. The Rock Shag is breeding on most islands
but the only breeding records for the Imperial Shag are for
Carcass and Dunbar. West Point Island is a key site for breeding
Black-browed Albatrosses, while the entire chain supports a
small but significant number of breeding Striated Caracaras
(>7% of the estimated Falkland population of about 500
breeding pairs). The Southern Giant-petrel is possibly breeding
on the southern Twin as 40 adults were present in 1997.
Endemic sub-species present are the Common Diving-petrel,
Black-crowned Night-heron, Upland Goose, Dark-faced
Ground-tyrant, Falkland Pipit, Falkland Grass Wren, Shorteared
Owl, Falkland Thrush and the Long-tailed Meadowlark.
Non-bird biodiversity: There are several breeding populations of Southern Sea
Lions in the group. At the 2003 census, 59 pups were found
on The Twins, 14 on Gibraltar Rock, 40 on Low Island and
51 on Dunbar Island. The plants on West Point have been
fairly well surveyed and 123 species were identified
between 1995 and 1998. Of these, only four were endemic
and 52 (42%) were introduced, including several grasses
sown to improve pastures and others that have naturalised
from garden plantings. On Carcass Island, about 107
species have been identified, including the uncommon
Yellow Orchid Gavilea littoralis, the rare endemic Hairy
Daisy Erigeron incertus and Whitlowgrass Draba funiculosa,
as well as a large number of introduced species. In contrast,
Low Island had 20 species, including one endemic and
seven introduced, Dunbar had 23 species (one endemic and
three introduced), the southern Twin had only seven
species (two introduced) and Tussac was the only plant
found on the northern Twin.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
West Point Island has been managed as a working sheep
farm since about 1879. Historically, it was the first place in
the Falklands where replanting of Tussac in fenced
paddocks was undertaken successfully from late in the 19th
century, to provide managed good-quality grazing and
shelter for livestock. Unfortunately, West Point still has
populations of Norway Rats and House Mice, which are
controlled by a programme of annual poisoning. Feral cats
were numerous for many years but they were exterminated
in about 1984. None of the other islands in the group has
been colonised by mammalian predators. All visitors
should be informed about the dangers of accidentally
introducing alien species to the Falklands.
The first methodical fieldwork on Black-browed Albatrosses
in the Falklands was carried out on West Point Island
between 1960 and 1968, supported by the US Antarctic
Research Program. Recoveries from about 11,000 albatrosses
ringed as nestlings demonstrated that juveniles dispersed
northwards quickly towards the eastern coast of South
America. Some recoveries were from Argentine and
Brazilian seafarers, while others were found dead or dying
on the coasts of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil north to 23°S.
A few reached the western coast of Africa in as little as 21⁄2
months, while one bird reached 16°S on the coast of Angola
about 31⁄2 months after leaving West Point. From all
recoveries, it seems that birds ringed in the Falklands
normally remain within the South Atlantic as they mature
and return to their native colonies when about five years old.
West Point Island and Carcass Island are particularly
noteworthy as two long-established sheep farms where
Striated Caracaras are not persecuted but actively
encouraged as having a place in the Falklands avifauna
and being of great interest to visiting bird enthusiasts and
tourists. With accessible colonies of Black-browed
Albatrosses and Rockhopper Penguins, West Point was the
first island to receive cruise ship tourists in 1968. Carcass
Island is another popular destination, with hundreds of
passengers landing either at Leopard Beach to the southeast
or at the settlement. It is also a thriving self-catering
holiday location, with land-based visitors being present on
the island through the summer months. The tourism
pressures on Carcass and West Point are well managed
under current ownership and cause little disturbance at the
sites used. It is very important that the Falkland Islands
Countryside Code is followed,
particularly to guard against the risk of fire.
Falklands Conservation is aware that further survey work is
needed to improve knowledge of the species present and their
populations, particularly on the smaller islands in the group.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: West Point Island Group (Falkland Islands (Malvinas)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/west-point-island-group-iba-falkland-islands-(malvinas) on 23/12/2024.
