French Austral Lands and Seas

French Austral Lands and Seas
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The French Austral Lands and Seas is a group of extremely isolated volcanic islands in the sub-Antarctic region.

As one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, it covers the Crozet Archipelago, Kerguelen Islands, Amsterdam and St Paul Islands, and surrounding parts of the Southern Ocean. This true wilderness is known for its marine birds (especially the world’s largest colony of King Penguins) and mammals such as Elephant Seals and Commerson’s Dolphins.

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3 Locations 0 Reviews 0 Ratings 34 Connections 5 Visitors Plaques

Map of French Austral Lands and Seas

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Site Info

Full Name
French Austral Lands and Seas
Unesco ID
1603
Country
France
Inscribed
2019
Type
Natural
Criteria
7 9 10
Categories
Natural landscape - Marine and Coastal Wildlife habitat - Fauna
Link
By ID

Site History

2019 Inscribed

Site Links

Unesco Website
French Austral Lands and Seas
Official Website

Terres australes et antarctiques française

In the News

Wildfire on remote French Amsterdam island threatens wildlife and climate research station (2025.02.16)

Locations

The site has 3 locations

French Austral Lands and Seas: Crozet Archipelago
French Austral Lands and Seas: Kerguelen Islands
French Austral Lands and Seas: Amsterdam and St Paul Islands

Connections

The site has

Constructions
Cemeteries: Île du Cimetière
Ecology
Tundra: "The Kerguelen Islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra ecoregion" (wiki)
Albatross breeding sites: "Eight species of albatross, of which six are considered globally threatened,... breed in the nominated property", including the Amsterdam Albatross
Antarctic Floristic Kingdom
Endemic Bird Species: At least four species of birds are endemic, plus three other species endemic at a regional level. They include Eaton’s Pintail, MacGillivray's Prion and the Amsterdam Albatross.
Penguins: King penguin, Northern rockhopper penguin, macaroni penguin
Volcanic Hotspots: Kerguelen hotspot
Whales: Killer whales, sperm whales
Natural Arches and Bridges: Arche des Kerguelen
Seals: the second largest colony of Southern Elephant Seals and the third largest colony of sub-Antarctic Fur Seals in the world (OUV)
Stratovolcanoes: Mont Ross
Megaherbs: Crozet, Kerguelen Islands: Megaherbs (Kerguelen cabbage)
Geography
Uninhabited islands: All islands are uninhabited, except for 3 small scientific/military bases
Archipelagos: Crozet Archipelago
Indian Ocean: The islands lie in the Southern Indian Ocean
Dependent territories: It is part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, an overseas territory
Marine sites: 66,530,100 ha M, 766,900 ha T
Southernmost: No. 5, at -49.25
Largest area: 672.979 square km
Glaciers: Glacier Cook
Territorial Highest points: French Southern and Antarctic Lands: Mont Ross (1850 m)
Submerged continent: Kerguelen Plateau
Subantarctic: Kerguelen Islands: 49°15′S 69°35′E
Human Activity
Sea Ports: Port-aux-Français
Individual People
Captain James Cook: Kerguelen Islands, in December 1776 during his third voyage (wiki)
Science and Technology
Astronomy and Astrology: Anse Betsy (Betsy Cove) is a former geomagnetic station on Baie Accessible (Accessible Bay), on the north coast of the Courbet Peninsula (La Grande Terre, Kerguelen). On this site an astronomical and geomagnetic observatory was erected on 26 October 1874 by a German research expedition led by Georg Gustav Freiherr von Schleinitz. The primary goal of this station was the 1874 observation of the transit of Venus. (wiki)
Timeline
Miocene: Miocene epoch is suggested for the common ancestry of the present−day genera of penguins
Trivia
Furthest distance apart: 2348km between Crozet Archipelago and Amsterdam and St Paul Islands
Visiting conditions
Takes more than 5 days to visit: Starting from Reunion, it takes 28 days round-trip
Visitor Limits: "A maximum of 50 tourists land on the islands for just a few days" (AB, unclear if that's an official limitation or a practical)
One thousand visitors or fewer: “Less than 350 people visit the islands annually” (AB ev)
WHS on Other Lists
Alliance for Zero Extinction: "the nominated property comprises one Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site" (AB ev)
Located in a TCC Territory: Kerguelen is part of French Antarctica (Adélie, Kerguelen)
World Heritage Process
Minor modifications after inscription: 2023: enlargement of all three component parts, intended to align the boundaries of the property with the new, extended boundaries of the Nature Reserve. The areas consist solely of marine areas. The extension adds 98,970,200 ha to the property resulting in a total area of 166,267,100 ha.

Visitors

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The Plaque

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