Larsen Islands facts for kids
The Larsen Islands are a small group of islands located near Antarctica. They are found north-west of Moreton Point, which is the western tip of Coronation Island. Both of these are part of the South Orkney Islands.
These islands were first seen by Captains George Powell and Nathaniel Palmer in December 1821. They were exploring the area together. Later, in 1912–1913, Petter Sørlle made a map of the South Orkney Islands. He named the islands "Larsen Islands" to honor Carl Anton Larsen.
In 1933, a team from the Discovery Investigations (DI) explored the islands again using the ship Discovery II. They called the whole group "Larsen Islands" and the biggest island "Larsen Island." This naming caused some confusion. So, in 1954, the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) decided to rename the largest island. They called it Monroe Island after the ship James Monroe. Captain Palmer was in charge of this ship when they first discovered the islands.
Monroe Island: The Largest Island
Monroe Island is the biggest island in the Larsen group. It is about 10 kilometers away from Coronation Island. On the northeast side of Monroe Island, you'll find a spot called Veitch Point. Right off the southwest end of the island is Sphinx Rock. Both of these places were mapped and named by the Discovery Investigations team.
A Special Home for Birds
The Larsen Islands are very important for birds. Along with nearby Moreton Point and some ice-free land to the west, this area is known as an Important Bird Area (IBA). This means it's a place that is critical for bird populations. BirdLife International has identified this area because it is home to huge breeding colonies of seabirds.
Many different types of seabirds live and raise their young here. For example, there are about 125,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins! There are also around 125,000 pairs of southern fulmars. You can also find smaller numbers of snow petrels nesting on the islands.
Images for kids
-
Learn more about the Larsen Islands in Spanish!
See also
In Spanish: Islas Larsen para niños
