Antarctica

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 18:48 UTC

  Antarctica 2010/11 visitors totalled 33.824, down 8.3%, says IAATO

  

  With the formal end of the tourism season in the Antarctic, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has released its final numbers for 2010-11. The total number of visitors to the region traveling with IAATO member-operators was 33,824.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 11:30 UTC

  Fantastic fund raising helped clear rodents from 600 hectares in South Georgia

  

  A fantastic £60,000+ of funding was raised for the SGHT Habitat Restoration Project on South Georgia in the 2010-2011 season thanks to the many visitors who sponsored a hectare.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2011 - 13:22 UTC

  South Georgia set of stamps to celebrate marriage of Prince William and Kate

  

  A set of three stamps, a beautiful souvenir sheet-let and two first day covers will be released by South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands on July 25th to mark the recent Royal Wedding, reports the June edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2011 - 02:13 UTC

  Coin recalls the centenary of the legendary “race to the South Pole”

  

  The centenary of the legendary ‘Race to the South Pole’ between Britain’s Robert Falcon Scott and Norway’s Ronald Amundsen is marked by a new SGSSI coin just released by Pobjoy Mint, announced the June edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2011 - 03:47 UTC

  South Georgia mentioned as example of longline fisheries seabirds protection

  

  A new global estimate of the impact of longline fisheries on seabirds reveals that, despite efforts to reduce seabird deaths, upwards of 300,000 birds are still being killed every year. However South Georgia is praised for having imposed strict regulations that have seen seabird deaths as bycatch drop by 99%.

• Tuesday, July 12th 2011 - 03:38 UTC

  BAS James Clark Ross discovers underwater volcanoes in South Sandwich Islands

  

  Scientists who have discovered previously unknown underwater volcanoes around the remote South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean say the research is important to help understand what happens when volcanoes erupt or collapse underwater.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 18:19 UTC

  HMS Protector formally commissioned as the Royal Navy new Ice patrol

  

  HMS Protector the Royal Navy's new Ice patrol ship has been formally commissioned into the fleet on Thursday, 23 June, the 50th anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty at Portsmouth naval base.

• Monday, June 20th 2011 - 06:15 UTC

  Antarctic Treaty half a century celebration this week in Buenos Aires

  

  Signatories of the Antarctic Treaty would celebrate the pact's 50th anniversary here on June 23 while attending the treaty's 34th consultative meeting, Argentine Foreign Ministry said Friday.

• Tuesday, June 14th 2011 - 13:49 UTC

  Antarctica visitors drop 8.3% in 2010/11 and 25% fall for 2011/12 season, forecasts IAATO

  

  The total number of visitors to Antarctica during the 2010/11 season, and traveling with IAATO member-operators, was 33,824. This includes those traveling on traditional expedition ships, yachts, larger cruise-only vessels as well visitors participating in land programs. The overall seasonal results reflect a decrease of 8.3% last year’s total of 36,875 passengers.

• Friday, June 3rd 2011 - 18:01 UTC

  Penguins’ winter huddle clusters are all the time on motion to keep warm

  

  The mystery of how penguins stay warm while they huddle has been revealed by an international team of scientists. Emperor penguins survive the tough Antarctic winters by forming tightly packed clusters - but scientists have pondered how penguins on the outside stay as cosy as those in the centre.