Prion Island

Prion Island is an island 2.4 km (1.5 mi) north-northeast of Luck Point, lying in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia. It was charted in 1912-13 by Robert Cushman Murphy, American naturalist aboard the brig Daisy, and so named because he observed prions on the island.

The island has been designated as a Specially Protected Area by the South Georgia Government, due to its rat-free status and breeding wandering albatrosses. Access is by permit, in that the island must be specifically named on the visit application and permit. A boardwalk with two viewing platforms was built in February/March 2008 to prevent erosion of the access gully and trampling of prion burrows. Wandering Albatross population counts are conducted annually. Because it is rat-free it is a breeding area for South Georgia pipits and burrowing petrels.

File:Prion Island Panorama.jpg

Prion Island panorama

Access

Visits are restricted as described in the GSGSSI Information For Visitors document as follows:

• Closed between 20 November and 7 January (Inclusive), to prevent disturbance of breeding fur seals at the landing beach.
• A maximum of two visits per day
• Landing at the designated beach only and all visitors to stay on the boardwalk
• Commercial visits to maintain a 1:10 staff to passenger ratio
• Maximum 50 people ashore at any time
• A visit is not to exceed 5 hours
• Thorough biosecurity checks to be made before landing

See also

• List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands

External links

• Film of Prion Island
• GSGSSI Information for Visitors document

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Prion Island" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).