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Sea Lion Island facts for kids

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Sea Lion Island

Isla de los Leones Marinos
Imperial shags on outcrop on Sea Lion Island
Imperial shags on outcrop on Sea Lion Island
Sea Lion Island is located in Falkland Islands
Sea Lion Island
Sea Lion Island
Location in Falkland Islands
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.

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.

Striated Caracara on Sealion Island
A Striated Caracara bird on Sea Lion Island

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.

The island also has other interesting birds:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Isla de los Leones Marinos para niños

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