As part of a German-American initiative, a new protected area was created in Antarctica, a region strongly affected by climate change.
Seven islands at the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, called Danger Islands, can only be entered with special permission, Germany’s environmental agency, the Umweltbundesamt (UBA), said at a meeting of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Assembly (ATCM) on Thursday in Kochi, India.
The archipelago is home to rare seabirds and one of the largest breeding colonies of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis aeliae) in the world, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said. “The current decision helps to better preserve the unique character of Antarctica. »
Germany and the United States will be responsible for managing the area, says the UBA. It is protected from tourism, but scientific research is always welcome.
Currently, the islands are home to more than 750,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins over a total area of 4.5 square kilometers, according to the UBA.
