Île de Croÿ is an island under French jurisdiction. It is part of an archipelago known as the Kerguelen Islands, situated approximately 10 miles (16 kilometres) north-west of the main island. It is located at 48°38'19.3"S 68°37'18.6"E. [1] It currently has no permanent population.
Kerguelen archipelago
History
editÎle de Croÿ was discovered in 1776 by Captain James Cook as part of his renowned nautical expedition through the southern hemisphere. It is the largest of five islands in a small group Cook named the 'Cloudy Isles', now known as Iles Nuageuses.[2]
Geography and Geology
editÎle de Croÿ, at its highest peak, rises 1,699 feet (518 meters) above sea level. The island stretches 3.49 miles (5.61 kilometers) long between its furthermost points,[1] and covers an area of approximately 6.2 square miles (16 square kilometres).The majority of the archipelago is the result of volcanic activity, as indicated by its high concentration of flood basalt and trachytic ignimbrite.[3] The composition and burial depth of the ignimbrite indicates that the last major volcanic eruption in the area occurred between 23,000 and 29,000 years ago,[3] near the end of the Pleistocene.[4]
Climate
editThe temperature in Île de Croÿ is usually very cold, with a temperature averaging 9 degrees celsius in its summer months, and an extremely varying but generally below freezing in winter months. It is classified as a tundra environment[5] due to its low temperature and significant precipitation.[6]
Plants and animals
editLiving on the island are penguins, albatrosses, and seals.[7][8]
No introduced species are present.[9]
| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List status | IUCN Red List citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctic fur seal | Arctocephalus gazella | Least Concern | [1] |
| Antarctic prion | Pachyptila desolata | Least Concern | [2] |
| Black-browed albatross | Thalassarche melanophris | Least Concern | [3] |
| Black-faced sheathbill | Chionis minor | Least Concern | [4] |
| Common diving petrel | Pelecanoides urinatrix | Least Concern | [5] |
| Eaton's pintail | Anas eatoni | Vunerable | [6] |
| Gentoo penguin | Pygoscelis papua | Least Concern | [7] |
| Grey-headed albatross | Thalassarche chrysostoma | Endangered | [8] |
| Kerguelen petrel | Aphrodroma brevirostris | Least Concern | [9] |
| Kerguelen tern | Sterna virgata | Near Threatened | [10] |
| Light-mantled albatross | Phoebetria palpebrata | Near Threatened | [11] |
| Northern giant petrel | Macronectes halli | Least Concern | [12] |
| Snowy albatross | Diomedea exulans | Vunerable | [13] |
| Southern rockhopper penguin | Eudyptes chrysocome | Vunerable | [14] |
| White-chinned petrel | Procellaria aequinoctialis | Vunerable | [15] |
| Wilson's storm petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | Least Concern | [16] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Île de Croy". tf.geoview.info. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Jouventin, Pierre (1 September 1985). "Biological survey of Ile de Croy, Iles Kerguelen, 1984". Cambridge University Press – via academia.edu.
- ^ a b "Global Volcanism Program | Kerguelen Islands". Smithsonian Institution | Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Prehistoric Times [ushistory.org]". www.ushistory.org. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Kerguelen Islands". geology.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ "Hourly weather ÎLE DE CROŸ Kerguelen Archipelago - France". weathercrave.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Jouventin, Pierre; Stonehouse, Bernard (September 1985). "Biological survey of Ile de Croy, Iles Kerguelen, 1984". Polar Record. 22 (141): 688–691. doi:10.1017/S0032247400006409. ISSN 1475-3057. S2CID 131293455. Archived from the original on 2021-11-06. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
- ^ "The vascular flora and vegetation of Ile de Croy, Iies Kerguelen". The Vascular Flora and Vegetation of Ile de Croy, Iies Kerguelen. 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Îles Nuageuses and Île Clugny". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ "Îles Nuageuses and Île Clugny – Data table and detailed info". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.