Shackleton Ice Shelf

The Shackleton Ice Shelf is a large, floating sheet of ice in Antarctica. It is located on the coast of East Antarctica, at the edge of the Indian Ocean.

Shackleton Ice Shelf

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Location of Shackleton Ice Shelf in Antarctica

Geography

The ice shelf is fed by several glaciers that flow from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. It covers an area of about 33,820 square kilometers (13,060 square miles).

History

The ice shelf was first seen by the United States Exploring Expedition in 1840. It was later explored and mapped in the early 1900s by a team led by the famous British explorer Ernest Shackleton. The ice shelf was named in his honor.

Important Bird Area

A 500ha site (64°59′19″S 96°09′21″E) on the ice shelf has been made an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of 6,500 emperor penguins, based on 2009 satellite imagery.