Marambio Station Vicinity, Seymour Island (SEYM)
64˚13’S, 56˚38’W Magnetic declination: 12.0˚E Inventory subarea: NE Inventory acronym: SEYM Site Sensitivity: LOW Location — History — Features This is the Argentine research station found on the NE end of Seymour Island, a barren, 10-mile long and 5-mile-wide island lying one mile NE of Snow Hill Island, at the S margin of Erebus & Terror Gulf. Seymour’s NE end was first seen by Ross in January 1843. The barren area to the N of the station is where many important fossil discoveries have been made. A remarkably barren clay and mud landscape, laden with snail and shell fossils, where fossil penguin bones have been found. Landing Characteristics Inventory researchers visited the muddy, barren landscape of the N end of Seymour Island, in the course of helicopter reconnaissance. Zodiac landings appear possible. While devoid of life, the unusual landscape provides a glimpse into Antarctica’s much warmer past. Antarctic Site Inventory Effort Visits by Antarctic Site Inventory researchers, 1994-2003: 1. January 25, 1996 RN BH Endurance Assessment and monitoring. Only preliminary censusing and ground photodocumentation has been accomplished. Fauna — Flora — Censuses Penguins & flying birds. No confirmed nesting. Antarctic terns were observed and may nest in the vicinity. No site-specific penguin populations are reported in Woehler (1993); the Adélie penguin count of 21,954 N2, 1985, reported for Seymour Island presumably pertains to the colony at Penguin Point on the SE side of the island. Seals and flora. None noted. Conservation Aspects Site sensitivities. Area where rare fossils have been discovered is easily trampled and eroded. Visitation Aspects Numbers of tourist zodiac landings and participating visitors, 1989-2003:
Proximate visitor sites. Penguin Point, Seymour Island, lies to the SE. Snow Hill Island lies to the W. |
