Sea Lion Island

Infobox Falkland island




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latitude= -52.4333
longitude= -59.0833
coordinates= coord|52|26|S|59|05|W|type:isle|display=inline,title
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english name= Sea Lion Island
spanish name= Isla de los Leones Marinos
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highest elevation= Bull Hill Unit m|46|0
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Sea Lion Island (Spanish: "Isla de los Leones Marinos") is one of the Falkland Islands, lying eight miles south east of Lafonia (East Falkland).

Population and history

There is a small settlement on the island and two airstrips. Historically, Sea Lion Island was a sheep farm and a base for slaughtering penguins to render for oil. When the British ship Viscount was wrecked in 1892, the debris was used to build the farmhouse.

Sheep farming is much declined, and in recent years, ecotourism has come to dominate. In 1990, the Clifton family who owned the island, sold it to the Falkland Island Development Company. They had planted 60,000 stands of tussac grass.Wigglesworth, Angela. (1992) "Falkland People". Pub. Peter Owen. ISBN 0-7206-0850-3]

There is also a memorial to HMS "Sheffield" on Bull Hill in the south of the island.

Geography

Sea Lion Island is a long narrow island, with cliffs on the "West End", and also a few ponds, such as Beaver, and Long Pond. Just to the south is Rum Island, a small seal colony. East Loafers is the name of the bay on the south shore.

Bull Hill is the highest point at around 150 ft (46 m).

The geology is mainly sandstone and mudstone, from about 250 million years ago. Some minor fossils have been found.

Wildlife

It is known for its wildlife, including southern sea lions, southern elephant seals, penguins, striated caracara and Antarctic skuas, and orcas (killer whales) offshore. Earthwatch, the worldwide organization that places volunteers in environmental studies around the world, has been tracking the habits of elephant seals at Sea Lion Island for years.

Sea Lion Island was designated a Ramsar site on September 24, 2001.

References

External links

* [http://www.sealionisland.com Sealionisland.com]
* [http://www.latintravel.com/wtv/falkland/fiphotos.cfm Falkland Islands, including Sea Lion island section]
* [http://www.wideview.it/travel/falklands_2006/en_08.htm Pictures from Sea Lion Island]

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