MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Antarctic Trust to buy four Falklands islands.

THE Antarctic Research Trust is to receive a licence from the Falkland Islands to purchase four islands - Brandy, Rum, Whiskey and Sea lion Easterly Islands.

Falklands' Acting Governor Miss Harriett Hall explained, "Because the Trust is not resident in the Falklands they need a licence from Executive Council to do this. ExCo took note of the fact that the Trust was registered as a charity in the Falklands and had had a long and fruitful record of co-operation with Falklands Conservation. They also noted the intentions of the Trust to maintain the islands in a pristine state."

In a paper to Executive Council, Crown Counsel Alison Inglis wrote, "The Antarctic Research Trust states that since its foundation it has researched the foraging ecology of various penguin species in the Southwest Atlantic, paying particular attention to the foraging areas of Magellanic and Rockhopper penguins, whose populations, at least at some breeding locations, have declined dramatically over the last few decades".

"The results of the Trust's research into this and other projects investigating the breeding biology and the diving behaviour of these and other penguin species breeding in the Southwest Atlantic have been published in both scientific literature and the popular press."

Ms Inglis writes of Falklands Conservation's support of the purchase of the islands by the Antarctic Research Trust and, "The Trust intends to work closely with Falklands Conservation to conserve the islands and their unique fauna and flora so that the islands can continue to act as stronghold for a number of endemic species in the Falkland Islands"

The Antarctic Research Trust (ART) is a non-commercial, scientific charity registered in Stanley, Falkland Islands, and Zurich, Switzerland. The aim of ART is to conduct and support scientific research on Antarctic and sub Antarctic animals in order to provide baseline data for species and habitat conservation. All donations received are used entirely for the funding of equipment necessary to study the biology of the animals in question and are not used to cover administration costs. Results are published in both scientific literature and the popular press. In addition, they are widely distributed among, and used by, relevant governmental and environmental departments. The ART is directed by 3 trustees, Erika Corti (Canada), Benno Lüthi (Switzerland), and Dr. Klemens Pütz, who as scientific director is responsible for undertaking specific scientific projects. (PN).-

More information: www.antartic-research.de