Gregory Island | |
Map: | Antarctica |
Location: | Victoria Land, Antarctica |
Coordinates: | -76.8142°N 162.9622°W |
Area Ha: | 70 |
Length Km: | 1.2 |
Width Km: | 0.8 |
Elevation M: | 100 |
Population: | Uninhabited |
Country: | None |
Treaty System: | Antarctic Treaty System |
Gregory Island is a small ice-free island lying just off the east coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica, 5km (03miles) north-east of Cape Archer and 8km (05miles) south of Cape Ross. It was discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition (1901–04), at which time it was thought to be a coastal point and was named "Gregory Point," for John Walter Gregory, director of the civilian staff of the expedition. It was determined to be an island by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–13.
A 51 ha site comprising the whole island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a colony of south polar skuas, with an estimate of about 120 breeding pairs made in 1983. The nearest permanent research station the USA's McMurdo Station and New Zealand's Scott Base lying about 150 km to the south-east on Ross Island.[1]