Macquarie Island, Australia Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (158,880 bytes) ( 718 x 2,376 )

Macquarie Island lies halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica, and is part of Tasmania. Accidentally discovered in 1810, the island was used by sealers and as a base for Antarctic expeditions. In 1933 the island was declared a wildlife sanctuary, and in 1997 listed as a World Heritage Site. Birdlife International identified Macquarie as an Important Bird Area because it supports 3.5 million breeding seabirds of 13 species, including 5 breeds of penguins. The image is located at 54.6 degrees south latitude, 159 degrees east longitude, covers an area of 10 by 36 km, and was acquired January 9, 2011.