TheElephant Cays are a group of small islands lying towards the southern end ofFalkland Sound, just to the north-west ofSpeedwell Island, in theFalkland Islands of the SouthAtlantic Ocean. The group, with a collective area of 248 ha includes Golden Knob, Sandy Cay, West, Southwest and Stinker Islands. It has been identified byBirdLife International as anImportant Bird Area (IBA).
The islands have goodtussac cover, but are not well known. Some may have been occasionally stocked with cattle in the 1930s and 1940s, and Stinker Island was grazed until 1985.[1]
Counts were made in early 2005. There is no complete list of birds, but it is probable that at least 20 species breed, possibly including burrowing petrels and Storm-petrels.[2] Birds for which the site is of conservation significance includeMagellanic penguins andstriated caracaras. The group is also the most important breeding site in the world forsouthern giant petrels, of which there are about 11,000 pairs. There are also two small colonies ofimperial shags.[1]
52°08′30″S59°50′30″W / 52.14167°S 59.84167°W /-52.14167; -59.84167
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