Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p98
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 98/98)
Character Range: 512918–515476

(Hydrurga leptonyx) seals also breed in the region. Ten seabird species breed within the Antarctic region: Southern Giant Petrel, Southern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialoides), South Polar Skua (Catharacta maccormicki), Antarctic Prion (Pachyptila desolata), Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), Antarctic Petrel (Thalassoica antarctica), Cape Petrel, Snow Petrel (Pagodroma nivea) and Wilson's Storm-petrel (Soper 2004).
Introduced species
None known.
Southern Giant Petrel breeding locations
Each of the Southern Giant Petrel breeding sites are within designated Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ATCM 2013, 2015, 2016). Southern Giant Petrel breeding sites within the AAT comprise Giganteus Island 16 km west from Mawson station, Mac.Robertson Land (16 ha), Hawker Island 7 km south-west of Davis station, Princess Elizabeth Land (190 ha), and the Frazier Islands 16 km north-west of Casey station, Wilkes Land (60 ha) (ATCM 2013, 2015, 2016). Colonies are established on open gravel areas and rocky outcrops (Woehler et al. 1990, Woehler 1993).
Effects of human occupation
During the austral summer 1820/21, two sealing masters working from the South Shetland Islands (discovered only two years prior) independently landed on the Antarctic Peninsula. By 1892, over 1100 sealing ships had visited Antarctic regions (Headland 1993). Australia's record of involvement with Antarctic exploration dates back to 1886 when the Australian Antarctic Committee was founded. The first research expedition to winter on the Antarctic continent occurred 12 years later. Australia has three permanent scientific research stations within the AAT: Mawson station (near Giganteus Island), Davis station (near Hawker Island) and Casey station (near the Frazier Islands).
The habitat loss and disturbance to nesting sites associated with construction and operations of research stations have directly affected at least two species: Snow Petrel and Wilson's Storm-petrel. There are also data suggesting regular visits to colonies of Adélie Penguin and Southern Giant Petrel may disturb breeding birds, causing colonies to decrease (Woehler 1993), although this interpretation for some of these data for Southern Giant Petrel is contested (Wienecke et al. 2009).
Human access to each of the Southern Giant Petrel breeding sites is strictly prescribed during the austral summer breeding season under the respective management plans for each of the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ATCM 2013, 2015, 2016).

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