Île de la Possession lies in the eastern group of the archipelago, about 20 km west of Île de l'Est (East Island). With an area of 150 km2 (58 sq mi) it is the largest island of the group and the only inhabited one. It has a rugged landscape of mountains cut by deep glaciated valleys. The coastal areas and valleys are covered with herbaceous subantarctic vegetation. It is uninhabited except for the staff of a research station.[1]
Alfred Faure research stationedit
The Alfred Faure research station (Base Alfred-Faure) is located at the eastern end of Île de la Possession, at an elevation of 143 m above Baie Marin (Port Alfred). It comprises about 12 main buildings and supports up to about 45 visiting personnel. It is named after a leader of the base in the 1960s. A 1.6 km road and aerial cableway connect the base to the sea, where supplies are brought by the vessel Marion Dufresne. The daily temperature at the site varies annually from an average high of 7.9°C to an average low of 2.7°C.[2]
Historyedit
In 1840 the Ross expedition anchored near the island to bring provisions to a stranded group of eleven elephant-seal hunters.
Île, possession, possession, island, formerly, Île, prise, possession, part, subantarctic, crozet, archipelago, administratively, part, french, southern, antarctic, lands, important, nesting, site, seabirds, nickname, possession, islandgeographylocationindian,. Ile de la Possession or Possession Island formerly Ile de la Prise de Possession is part of the Subantarctic Crozet Archipelago Administratively it is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands It is an important nesting site for seabirds Ile de la PossessionNickname Possession IslandGeographyLocationIndian OceanCoordinates46 24 27 S 51 45 27 E 46 40750 S 51 75750 E 46 40750 51 75750ArchipelagoCrozet IslandsArea150 km2 58 sq mi Length18 km 11 2 mi Width13 km 8 1 mi Highest elevation934 m 3064 ft Highest pointPic du MascarinAdministrationFranceDemographicsPopulationNo permanent inhabitants temporary research station staff only Alfred Faure research station Eaton s Pintails inhabit the island Observation results at Ship Bay Ile de la Possession published 1893 Contents 1 Description 2 Alfred Faure research station 3 History 4 Wildlife 4 1 Birds 4 2 Other wildlife 5 See also 6 ReferencesDescription editIle de la Possession lies in the eastern group of the archipelago about 20 km west of Ile de l Est East Island With an area of 150 km2 58 sq mi it is the largest island of the group and the only inhabited one It has a rugged landscape of mountains cut by deep glaciated valleys The coastal areas and valleys are covered with herbaceous subantarctic vegetation It is uninhabited except for the staff of a research station 1 Alfred Faure research station editThe Alfred Faure research station Base Alfred Faure is located at the eastern end of Ile de la Possession at an elevation of 143 m above Baie Marin Port Alfred It comprises about 12 main buildings and supports up to about 45 visiting personnel It is named after a leader of the base in the 1960s A 1 6 km road and aerial cableway connect the base to the sea where supplies are brought by the vessel Marion Dufresne The daily temperature at the site varies annually from an average high of 7 9 C to an average low of 2 7 C 2 History editIn 1840 the Ross expedition anchored near the island to bring provisions to a stranded group of eleven elephant seal hunters Wildlife editBirds edit The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area IBA by BirdLife International as a breeding site for seabirds of which there are at least 26 breeding species Birds nesting in relatively large numbers include king northern rockhopper and macaroni penguins wandering sooty and light mantled albatrosses northern giant petrels medium billed prions Kerguelen and soft plumaged petrels and South Georgia diving petrels Other island breeders in smaller numbers are southern giant petrels grey headed albatrosses and Kerguelen terns Crozet blue eyed shags black faced sheathbills and Eaton s pintails are resident The smaller birds nest only at higher altitudes because of their vulnerability to rat predation at lower levels 1 Other wildlife edit The goats that were introduced have been eradicated though black rats remain and are a threat to the birdlife Both Antarctic and subantarctic fur seals as well as southern elephant seals breed on the island A pod of about 80 killer whales inhabits the surrounding waters Two plants and 59 arthropod species endemic to the archipelago are present 1 See also editList of Antarctic islands north of 60 SReferences edit a b c BirdLife International 2012 Important Bird Areas factsheet Ile de la Possession Downloaded from http www birdlife org on 2012 01 10 Alfred Faure Station EPB Stations European Polar Board 2023 Retrieved 2023 10 26 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ile de la Possession amp oldid 1189641635, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
