Sea Lion Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sea Lion Island
Isla de los Leones Marinos
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Imperial shags on outcrop on Sea Lion Island
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 Sea Lion Island
Location in Falkland Islands
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| Country | Falkland Islands |
| Main settlement | Sea Lion Island Settlement |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.05 km2 (3.49 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation
(Bull Hill) |
46 m (151 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC−3 (FKST) |
| If shown, area and population ranks are for all islands and all inhabited islands in the Falklands respectively. | |
| Designated: | 24 September 2001 |
| Reference #: | 1104 |
Sea Lion Island (which is Isla de los Leones Marinos in Spanish) is the biggest island in the Sea Lion Island Group. This group is part of the Falkland Islands. The island is about 9 square kilometers (3.5 square miles) in size. It lies about 14 kilometers (9 miles) southeast of Lafonia, which is on East Falkland.
Sea Lion Island is a very special place for nature. It was named a Ramsar site in 2001. This means it's an important wetland for birds and other wildlife. It is also known as an Important Bird Area. In 2017, the island became a National Nature Reserve. This helps protect its unique plants and animals.
Contents
Exploring Sea Lion Island's Geography
Sea Lion Island stretches about 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) from east to west. It is about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) wide. The island has tall cliffs, about 30 meters (98 feet) high, at its southwestern tip. Towards the east, you'll find sandy bays.
What is the Highest Point on the Island?
The highest spot on Sea Lion Island is called Bull Hill. It reaches about 46 meters (151 feet) above sea level. On the southern shore, there's a bay named East Loafers. The island also has a few ponds, like Beaver Pond and Long Pond.
Nearby Islands and Geology
Just south of Sea Lion Island is Rum Island, which is a small home for seals. Other small islands in the group are Brandy and Whisky Islands. The rocks on Sea Lion Island are mostly sandstone and mudstone. These rocks formed about 250 million years ago. Scientists have even found some small fossils here.
A Look into Sea Lion Island's Past
Sea Lion Island is the southernmost island in the Falkland Islands where people live. The only island further south that used to have people was Beauchene Island. The main settlement on Sea Lion Island is also the southernmost one in the Falkland Islands. The island has its own airstrip for planes.
How Was the Island Used in the Past?
For most of the 1900s, Sea Lion Island was a sheep farm. In 1892, a British ship called the Viscount crashed nearby. The parts from the wrecked ship were used to build the farmhouse on the island.
The Clifton family owned the island and managed it as a sheep farm for a long time. In 1997, most of the sheep were moved off the island. In 1990, the Clifton family sold the island to the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC). They had planted 60,000 clumps of tussac grass to help the environment.
The Rise of Ecotourism
Since the sheep were moved, the island's main activity has been ecotourism. This means people visit to enjoy nature and learn about the wildlife. In 1986, FIDC built the Sea Lion Lodge. This lodge can host up to 20 guests. It was built from parts flown to the island by Royal Air Force helicopters. The lodge has been very successful. Tourists stay there, and since 1996, scientists also use it for their research. Since 2017, Wild Falkland Ltd has been in charge of the Lodge and the island.
Remembering History
There is a special memorial on Bull Hill. It remembers HMS Sheffield, a ship that was important in history.
Amazing Plants and Animals
Sea Lion Island is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. About 56 types of flowering plants have been found here. One special plant is the Fuegian violet. In the Falkland Islands, you can only find this violet on Sea Lion Island.
Marine Mammals and Their Life Cycle
The island is famous for its marine mammals. These include large groups of South American sea lions and southern elephant seals that come to breed. The other small islands in the group are places where seals and sea lions rest. You can also sometimes see killer whales swimming offshore. A group called the Elephant Seal Research Group (ESRG) has been studying the habits of elephant seals on Sea Lion Island for over 20 years.
Birds of Sea Lion Island
The Sea Lion Islands Group is known as an Important Bird Area. This means it's a very important place for many types of seabirds and other waterbirds to breed.
- Falkland steamer ducks
- Ruddy-headed geese
- Gentoo penguins (about 2,800 pairs)
- Southern rockhopper penguins (about 480 pairs)
- Magellanic penguins
- Southern giant-petrels (about 25 pairs)
- Sooty shearwaters
The island also has other interesting birds:
- Striated caracaras (about 10 pairs)
- Blackish cinclodes
- Cobb's wrens
- White-bridled finches
See also
In Spanish: Isla de los Leones Marinos para niños
