Guépratte Island facts for kids
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Guépratte Island is a cool island covered in ice. It's about 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) long. You can find it in a place called the Palmer Archipelago in Antarctica. It sits between two other islands, Anvers Island and Brabant Island. It's also near the entrance to Fournier Bay.
Discovering Guépratte Island
People first saw Guépratte Island on a map in 1895. This map was made by Ludwig Friederichsen. It showed what a German team found in 1873 and 1874. That team was led by Eduard Dallmann.
Later, a French group explored the area. This was the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05. It was led by Jean-Baptiste Charcot. He named the island after Captain Guépratte. Captain Guépratte was a brave officer in the French Navy.
For a short time, the island was called "Discovery Island." This name was given in 1927. It came from people on a ship called the Discovery. But the older name, Guépratte Island, was chosen to stick.
Why Guépratte Island is Special for Birds
Just east of Guépratte Island, there's a tiny islet. It's only about 7 hectares (17 acres) big. This small piece of land is very important for birds.
A Home for Antarctic Shags
This islet is known as an Important Bird Area (IBA). BirdLife International gave it this special title. Why? Because it's a breeding ground for many Antarctic shags. These birds are a type of cormorant.
In 1987, experts counted about 220 pairs of these shags. They were all nesting and raising their young there. This makes the islet a vital spot for these amazing birds.
