Shackleton Ice Shelf is an extensiveice shelf fronting the coast ofEast Antarctica from 95° E to 105° E. It extends for an along-shore distance of about 384 kilometres (239 mi), projecting seaward about 145 kilometres (90 mi) in the western portion and 64 kilometres (40 mi) in the east. It occupies an area of 33,820 square kilometres (13,058 sq mi). It is part ofMawson Sea and separates theQueen Mary Coast to the west from theKnox Coast ofWilkes Land to the east.
The existence of this ice shelf was first made known by theUSEE underCharles Wilkes who mapped a portion of it from theVincennes in February 1840. It was explored by theAustralian Antarctic Expedition underDouglas Mawson (1911–14) who named it for SirErnest Shackleton. The extent of the ice shelf was mapped in greater detail in 1955, using aerial photography obtained by US NavyOperation Highjump, 1946–47. Further mapping by the Soviet Expedition of 1956 showed the portion eastward ofScott Glacier to be a part of this ice shelf.
A 500 ha site (64°59′19″S96°09′21″E / 64.98861°S 96.15583°E /-64.98861; 96.15583) on the ice shelf has been designated anImportant Bird Area (IBA) byBirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of some 6,500emperor penguins, based on 2009 satellite imagery.[1]
