Ildefonso Islands

Islas Ildefonso are a group of islands in Chile. The islands belong to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region. They lie 96 km (60 mi) west of Isla Hermite, part of Tierra del Fuego, and 93 km (58 mi) NNW of Diego Ramirez Islands, but only 27 km (17 mi) south of Isla Hoste or 23 km (14 mi) to rocks near Isla Hoste.

NASA World Wind screenshot of Ildefonso Islands, Chile
Ildefonso Islands
Native name:
Islas Ildefonso
Ildefonso Islands
Ildefonso Islands are only 27 km (17 mi) south from Hoste Island
Geography
Coordinates55.75°S 69.43°W / -55.75; -69.43
Adjacent bodies of waterPacific ocean
Total islands9 islands and islets
Area0.2 km2 (0.077 sq mi)
Administration
RegionMagallanes
ProvinceAntartica Chilena
CommuneCabo de Hornos
Additional information
NGA UFI=-884851

Description

The islands were named by the Spanish navigator Diego Ramírez de Arellano, who piloted the Garcia de Nodal expedition through the region in 1619.[1] The islands consist of nine stacks, within two groups. They extend 6 km (4 mi) on a northwest-southeast axis. The land area measures about 200,000 m2 (2,152,782 sq ft). More than 50% of this comprises the large single southern stack, which is 970 m (3,182 ft) long and between 80 to 200 m (262 to 656 ft) wide. The islands are steep and rocky, and covered in tussac grass.[2]

Important Bird Area

The islands have been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because they hold large breeding populations of both southern rockhopper penguins (86,000 breeding pairs) and black-browed albatrosses (47,000 breeding pairs). There are also smaller numbers of grey-headed albatrosses. Magellanic penguins, imperial shags and sooty shearwaters present.[3]

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See also

References
  1. "Diego Ramírez de Arellano i el seu Reconosimiento de los Estrechos de Magallanes y de San Viçente". Institució Alfons el Magnànim. 4 December 2011. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  2. Shirihai, Hadoram. (2002). A complete guide to Antarctic wildlife. ISBN 951-98947-0-5
  3. BirdLife International. (2012). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Islas Ildefonso. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2012-01-15.
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