Half Moon Island (South Shetland Islands)
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 62°35′24″S 59°54′36″W / 62.59000°S 59.91000°WCoordinates: 62°35′24″S 59°54′36″W / 62.59000°S 59.91000°W |
| Archipelago | South Shetland Islands |
| Area | 171 ha (420 acres) |
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None
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| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
| Additional information | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
Half Moon Island is a minor Antarctic island, lying 1.35 km (0.84 mi) north of Burgas Peninsula, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands of the Antarctic Peninsula region. Its surface area is 171 hectares (420 acres). The Argentine Cámara Base is located on the island. It is only accessible by sea and by helicopter; there is no airport of any kind. The naval base is operational occasionally during the summer, but is closed during the winter.
Plants found on the island include several lichen and moss species as well as Antarctic Hairgrass.
The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of about 100 pairs of south polar skuas. Other birds nesting on the island include chinstrap penguins (2000 pairs), Antarctic terns (125 pairs), kelp gulls (40 pairs), Wilson's and black-bellied storm petrels, Cape petrels, brown skuas, snowy sheathbills and imperial shags.
Weddell and Antarctic fur seals regularly haul out on the beaches. Southern elephant seals have been recorded.Whales are often seen patrolling the shores.
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Wikipedia