The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we look at a mission to clean up a graffitied building in Antarctica, a new South Orkney Islands map, an increase in Arctic killer whales, and rising tourism prices in Finland.
The Polar Retrospective is a collaborative effort by the Polar Journal AG team. Each writer chooses a topic they found interesting and important in the past week. The initials at the end of each section indicate the author. We hope you enjoy it.
Rust rather than varnish
Last week, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust announced that it had restored the former aircraft hangar in Whaler’s Bay on Deception Island. A month earlier, graffiti was discovered on the hangar built near the former Norwegian whaling station Hektor, without knowing who the authors were. “We were all deeply shocked and saddened by this senseless and irresponsible vandalism,” recalled Camilla Nichol, CEO of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
A small camp was set up on-site to enable people from the construction sector, such as Adam Turner, to remove the painted inscription without damaging the 1960s sheet metal. The hangar was used as a shelter for small aircraft when the British were carrying out mapping work. “It holds high significance for its historic and archaeological values, which contribute to our understanding of the development of science in Antarctica and the history of Antarctic flight,” wrote the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
The logistical support of the cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions was warmly thanked by Camilla Nichol. In fact, there is no regular maritime route between this island and South America, other than the passage of tour operators or, very rarely, private ships or research vessels.
“We continue to encourage all visitors to Antarctica to leave no trace so that we can carefully protect this precious wilderness and its remarkable history for generations to come,” said Camilla Nichol. C.L.
South Orkney Islands have a brand new map
A new map of the South Orkney Islands has been published this week by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
Produced by the Mapping and Geographic Information Centre at BAS, the map provides a detailed topographic view of the entire South Orkney archipelago at 1:100 000 scale, as well as a focused, high-resolution map of Signy Island at 1:10 000 scale.
With contours, mountain spot heights, rock outcrops, lakes and place names, the new map provides essential, up-to-date information for scientists and professionals working in the archipelago. The new map is a major update of the 1963 and 1988 versions.
The South Orkney Islands are located about 650 km north-east of the Antarctic Peninsula and cover an area of 622 km2. They are home to a rich fauna, including a million breeding pairs of penguins. Signy Island is home to a British research station. Despite its small size (6.5 km long by 5 km wide), the island has undergone significant geographical changes, such as the formation of two lakes, Quicksilver and Jobson, both as a result of the retreat of the island’s ice cap.
Bathymetric data has been added to the map, which is available in two paper formats. M.B.
For further information : https://www.bas.ac.uk/media-post/new-map-of-south-orkney-islands-published-for-the-first-time-in-40-years/
Killer Whales Expand into the Arctic as Sea Ice Retreats
The shrinking sea ice barrier in the Arctic due to climate change is allowing orcas to migrate further north, a recent study shows. A research team from the University of Washington and NOAA’s Marine Mammal Laboratory investigated the presence of killer whales in the US Arctic from 2011 to 2019 and found a significant increase in their numbers in areas that were previously largely inaccessible to them.
Using an extensive network of permanently installed hydrophones (underwater microphones) and acoustic recorders that have been capturing marine mammal sounds for many years, the researchers observed a significant increase in detected orca vocalizations, particularly near the Bering Strait and along the north coast of Alaska.
Whales now appear on average 50 days earlier in spring than they did a decade ago. The growing presence of killer whales could have far-reaching effects on the Arctic food chain. As highly efficient hunters with a wide range of prey, they may significantly impact seal and even bowhead whale populations.
Previous studies have shown that an increased orca presence can lead to the depletion of prey, potentially affecting food availability for other predators and impacting subsistence hunting by indigenous communities. Additionally, changes in orca hunting behavior may drive other marine mammals into less favorable areas, making reproduction and foraging more challenging for them. J.H.
Lapland’s expensive hotels force airline crew to sleep hours away from airport
Wild reindeer, cold crispy nights and, of course, the aurora borealis. Across the Arctic, holidays in the cold north have never been more popular.
For Europeans, one of the most easily accessible destinations to experience the wonders of the Arctic is Finnish Lapland. So much so, in fact, that during the popular winter months hotels in the region have become more than twice as expensive as the average for the rest of the country, the news agency YLE reports.
In December, the price of a hotel room in Lapland averaged out at 282 euros per night and had to be booked up to a year in advance. In Finland’s capital region of Uusimaa the average was a more affordable 119 euros per night.
The skyrocketing prices in Lapland have now forced airlines to take a highly inconvenient measure. Crew staying the night in Lapland are transported as far as 2.5 hours south from the airport in Rovaniemi – usually to the town of Haukipudas.
Lodging them closer to the airport would make flights too expensive. And sometimes, if the bookings are needed on a short notice, hotels are simply not available, Sanna Kärkkäinen, CEO of local tourism company Visit Rovaniemi, informed Yle. O.E.
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