Buxton Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buxton Glacier |
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 Location in South Georgia Island
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| Type | tidewater |
| Location | Saint Andrews Bay South Georgia |
| Coordinates | 54°26′S 36°12′W / 54.433°S 36.200°W |
| Thickness | unknown |
| Terminus | Saint Andrews Bay |
| Status | retreating |
Buxton Glacier is a large glacier found on the island of South Georgia. It flows towards the northeast, located between two other glaciers: Heaney Glacier and Cook Glacier. The very end of Buxton Glacier, called its terminus, reaches Saint Andrews Bay.
This glacier is also quite close to Ross Glacier. As Ross Glacier has been melting and moving back, it has left behind a new gravel beach. Buxton Glacier is also currently getting smaller, which is known as retreating.
How Buxton Glacier Got Its Name
Buxton Glacier was officially named in 1987 by a group called the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee. They decided to name it after three members of the Buxton family.
These people were Major Aubrey Leland Oakes Buxton (who was also known as Baron Buxton of Alsa), Pamela Mary Birkin (Baroness Buxton of Alsa), and their daughter, Lucinda Catherine (Cindy) Buxton. Cindy Buxton is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). They all visited South Georgia together in March 1982.
Amazing Animals at Saint Andrews Bay
Near the end of Buxton Glacier, at Saint Andrews Bay, there is a huge king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) rookery. A rookery is a special place where many birds gather to breed and raise their young.
This particular breeding colony is home to more than 100,000 penguins! King penguins have a very long breeding cycle. This means that the colony is always busy with penguins, all year round.
In Spanish: Glaciar Buxton para niños
