Sub Antarctic Pillows

Macquarie Island looking towards the narrow isthmus where the Australian Base is situated. Southern Ocean, Australia. Macquarie Island only has five sunny days per year. The three plants which grow here are in this picture, a mega herb, Macquarie Island Cabbage and Tussock Grass. On 3 December, 1997 Macquarie Island was listed as a World Heritage Area, the second Tasmanian World Heritage Area. Macquarie Island is a site of outstanding geological and natural significance on a world scale. The island is one of only a very few in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean where fauna in the region can breed. Around 3.5 million seabirds and 80,000 elephant seals arrive on Macquarie Island each year to breed and moult. Fur seals are beginning...

King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonia) and Royal Penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli) sunning themselves on the pebble beach. Juvenile male Southern Elephant Seals (Mirounga leonina) are also on the beach. Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean, Sub-Antarctic, Australia. Macquarie Island (or Macca) lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it is part of Tasmania, Australia since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. The island is home to the entire Royal Penguin population on earth during their annual nesting season. Ecologically, it is part of the Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion. Canon EOS (film), zoom lens. (Featured in Art F...

Portrait of a Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli), showingh his wonderful red eyes. Southern Ocean, Macquarie Island, Australia. Macquarie Island (or Macca) lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E. Politically, it is part of Tasmania, Australia since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. The island is home to the entire Royal Penguin population on earth during their annual nesting season. Ecologically, it is part of the Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion, and is World Heritage Listed. (Canon EOS (film), zoom lens.) (Featured in Closeups in Nature and Others.) (1664 view at 29 August 2015) Since 1948 the Australian Antarctic Div...

Part of the Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) breeding rookery. There are about 20,000 breeding pairs This is the only place in the world where Royal Penguins are found. Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean, Australia. Any serious natural disaster could see the end of this species of bird. This colony is situated on the side of a hill on a pebble patch surrounded by tussock grass, one of the 3 mega herbs which grow on Macquarie Island. There is little other vegetation due to the harsh sub-antarctic climate. The island has about 5 days of sunshine a year. The birds build their nests of pebbles in very close proximity to each other causing much squabbling, especially as birds find their way from the colony to the "Penguin Highway" to make th...

Royal Penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli) standing on the pebble beach and looking for pebbles to build their nests. Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean, Australia. Macqarie Island is the only place in the world where Royal Penguins are found. Any serious natural disaster could see the end of this species of bird. This colony is situated on the side of a hill on a pebble patch surrounded by tussock grass, one of the 3 mega herbs which grow on Macquarie Island. There is little other vegetation due to the harsh sub-antarctic climate. The island has about 5 days of sunshine a year. The birds build their nests of pebbles in very close proximity to each other causing much squabbling, especially as birds find their way from the colony to the “Pengui...

Royal Penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli) collecting pebbles from the beach for building their nest. Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean, Australia. Macqarie Island is the only place in the world where Royal Penguins are found. Any serious natural disaster could see the end of this species of bird. This colony is situated on the side of a hill on a pebble patch surrounded by tussock grass, one of the 3 mega herbs which grow on Macquarie Island. There is little other vegetation due to the harsh sub-antarctic climate. The island has about 5 days of sunshine a year. The birds build their nests of pebbles in very close proximity to each other causing much squabbling, especially as birds find their way from the colony to the “Penguin Highway” to ...

Macquarie Island Cabbage is one of 3 main Megaherbs which grow on this windswept, cold and weather-battered island. With only an average of 5 sunny days a year plants have to be tough and resilient. Stilbocarpa polaris, commonly known as the Macquarie Island Cabbage, is a species of flowering plant usually placed in the family Araliaceae. It is a megaherb, growing up to about a metre in height, native to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand and to Australia’s Macquarie Island. It was used as a food source and a scurvy preventative by early explorers and sealers. On Macquarie Island it is threatened by introduced Black Rats and European Rabbits. Macquarie Island (or Macca) lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half...

Macquarie Island (or Macca) lies in the southwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, about half-way between New Zealand and Antarctica, at 54°30S, 158°57E.1 Politically, it is part of Tasmania, Australia since 1900 and became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 1978. The island is home to the entire Royal Penguin population on earth during their annual nesting season. Ecologically, it is part of the Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion. Canon EOS (film), zoom lens. (Featured in The World as we See it, or as we Missed it, & Other Groups.) (1061 views at 14 September 2015) Since 1948 the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) has maintained a permanent base, the Macquarie Island Station, on the isthmus at the northern end of the island at the f...

Ancient pristine serenely silent forest near El Chalten in Patagonia Argentina

Royal Penguins (Eudyptes schlegeli) in the breeding rookery, sitting on eggs on their pebble nests, and mutually preening. There are about 20,000 breeding pairs in this rookery. Macquarie Island is the only place where Royal Penguins breed. Southern Ocean, Australia. Clearly any environmental disaster would have a huge impact on this species of penguin. They are considered vulnerable due to limited breeding sites. On 3 December, 1997 Macquarie Island was listed as a World Heritage Area, the second Tasmanian World Heritage Area. Macquarie Island is a site of outstanding geological and natural significance on a world scale. The island is one of only a very few in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean where fauna in the region can bre...

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