Shag Rocks (South Georgia)
Encyclopedia
The Shag Rocks are six small island
s in the westernmost extreme of South Georgia, 240 km (149.1 mi) west of the main island of South Georgia and 1000 km (621.4 mi) off the Falkland Islands
. The Shag Rocks are located at 53°33′S 42°02′W. 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) further southeast is Black Rock
. Black Rock is located at 53°39′S 41°48′W.
The Shag Rocks cover a total area of less than 20 hectares (49.4 acre). Situated on the South Georgia Ridge, they have a peak elevation above sea level of 75 metres (246 ft), and stand in water approximately 319 metres (1,047 ft) deep. Temperatures average -1.2 °C, rarely climbing above 15 °C (59 °F). There is no significant vegetation.
The main wildlife found on the islands are the South Georgian (Imperial) shag
s, prions
and wandering albatross
es.
The Shag Rocks were possibly discovered by Jose de la Llana in 1762, and originally named the Aurora Islands
, after his ship. However, the Aurora Islands are considered by many to have been a mistaken sighting that was coincidentally near the Shag Rocks, which were known to sealers prior to 1823. They were later rediscovered by James Sheffield and given their current name, probably because shags and other seabirds frequent them. They were charted by Discovery Investigations
personnel on the William Scoresby in 1927. The first landing on the islands was made in 1956, when an Argentine geologist was lowered from a helicopter to collect rock samples.
. Before 1985 they came within the Falkland Islands Dependencies
.
Argentina
also lays claim to many islands of the area, including Black Rock
and Shag Rocks. The Falklands War
of 1982 was fought by Britain and Argentina not only over the territories of the Falkland Islands
, but also over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
. Black Rock and Shag Rocks are on the route from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia Island, on a seamount
of Scotia Ridge.
Britain won the 1982 Falklands War
, and in 1985 formed its overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which includes Black Rock and Shag Rocks. It now assumes responsibility for preservation and defense of the area. Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and invaded and briefly occupied a number of the islands in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s in the westernmost extreme of South Georgia, 240 km (149.1 mi) west of the main island of South Georgia and 1000 km (621.4 mi) off the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
. The Shag Rocks are located at 53°33′S 42°02′W. 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) further southeast is Black Rock
Black Rock, South Georgia
Black Rock is a low rock southeast of Shag Rocks and some west-northwest of South Georgia. Black Rock may have been considered as part of the "Aurora Islands" reported in this vicinity by the ship Aurora in 1762...
. Black Rock is located at 53°39′S 41°48′W.
The Shag Rocks cover a total area of less than 20 hectares (49.4 acre). Situated on the South Georgia Ridge, they have a peak elevation above sea level of 75 metres (246 ft), and stand in water approximately 319 metres (1,047 ft) deep. Temperatures average -1.2 °C, rarely climbing above 15 °C (59 °F). There is no significant vegetation.
The main wildlife found on the islands are the South Georgian (Imperial) shag
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s, prions
Prion (bird)
The Prions are small petrels in the genera Pachyptila and Halobaena. They form one of the four groups within the Procellariidae , along with the gadfly petrels, shearwaters and fulmarine petrels....
and wandering albatross
Wandering Albatross
The Wandering Albatross, Snowy Albatross or White-winged Albatross, Diomedea exulans, is a large seabird from the family Diomedeidae, which has a circumpolar range in the Southern Ocean. It was the first species of albatross to be described, and was long considered the same species as the Tristan...
es.
The Shag Rocks were possibly discovered by Jose de la Llana in 1762, and originally named the Aurora Islands
Aurora Islands
The Aurora Islands was a group of three phantom islands first reported in 1762 by the Spanish merchant ship Aurora while sailing from Lima to Cádiz. The Aurora's officers reported sighting them again in 1774. The Spanish ship San Miguel fixed their location at 52°37'S, 47°49'W...
, after his ship. However, the Aurora Islands are considered by many to have been a mistaken sighting that was coincidentally near the Shag Rocks, which were known to sealers prior to 1823. They were later rediscovered by James Sheffield and given their current name, probably because shags and other seabirds frequent them. They were charted by Discovery Investigations
Discovery Investigations
The Discovery Investigations were a series of scientific cruises and shore-based investigations into the biology of whales in the Southern Ocean. They were funded by the British Colonial Office and organised by the Discovery Committee in London, which was formed in 1918...
personnel on the William Scoresby in 1927. The first landing on the islands was made in 1956, when an Argentine geologist was lowered from a helicopter to collect rock samples.
Government
The Shag Rocks are uninhabited and so lack any active administration. They form part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
. Before 1985 they came within the Falkland Islands Dependencies
Falkland Islands Dependencies
Falkland Islands Dependencies was the constitutional arrangement for administering the British territories in Sub-Antarctica and Antarctica from 1843 until 1985.-Background:...
.
Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
also lays claim to many islands of the area, including Black Rock
Black Rock, South Georgia
Black Rock is a low rock southeast of Shag Rocks and some west-northwest of South Georgia. Black Rock may have been considered as part of the "Aurora Islands" reported in this vicinity by the ship Aurora in 1762...
and Shag Rocks. The Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
of 1982 was fought by Britain and Argentina not only over the territories of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, but also over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, known as the South Sandwich...
. Black Rock and Shag Rocks are on the route from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia Island, on a seamount
Seamount
A seamount is a mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface , and thus is not an island. These are typically formed from extinct volcanoes, that rise abruptly and are usually found rising from a seafloor of depth. They are defined by oceanographers as...
of Scotia Ridge.
Britain won the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, and in 1985 formed its overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which includes Black Rock and Shag Rocks. It now assumes responsibility for preservation and defense of the area. Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and invaded and briefly occupied a number of the islands in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force.
See also
- Aurora IslandsAurora IslandsThe Aurora Islands was a group of three phantom islands first reported in 1762 by the Spanish merchant ship Aurora while sailing from Lima to Cádiz. The Aurora's officers reported sighting them again in 1774. The Spanish ship San Miguel fixed their location at 52°37'S, 47°49'W...
- Composite Antarctic Gazetteer
- History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsHistory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsThe history of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is relatively recent. When European explorers found the islands, they were uninhabited, and their hostile climate, mountainous terrain, and remoteness made subsequent settlement difficult...
- List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands
- List of Antarctic islands north of 60° S