In Celebration of World Environment Day 2020 – 5 June 2020
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day on 5 June 2020 is Celebrate Biodiversity. We will be celebrating the scientific work done on the variety of plant and animal species, marine and terrestrial, within the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic region over the past 55 years. It was the team members of the First Biological & Geological Expedition on Marion Island, back in 1965, who laid the foundation for the scientific work done on the Prince Edward Islands. Want to know more about this expedition? No better way than to get a copy of Exploring a Sub-Antarctic Wilderness, the personal narrative of Prof. Brian Huntley who was one of the team members of this team.
First Biological and Geological team to Marion Island. Eduard (EM) van Zinderen Bakker Snr (Botanist and leader), Neville (NR) Fuller (Marine Biologist), Brian(BJ) Huntley (Botanist), Otto Langenegger (Surveyor and Geologist), Eduard (jnr) van Zinderen Bakker (Ornithologist) and Willem (WJ) Verwoerd (Geologist). Image: Brian J. Huntley
Exploring a Sub-Antarctic Wilderness: A Personal Narrative of the First Biological and Geological Expedition to Marion and Prince Edwards Islands 1965/1966.
Life scientists within the South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) have a long history of studying the plants and animals in the sub-Antarctic and we have evidence of that on the Antarctic Legacy of South Africa Digital Archive Photo Gallery (see below images). Click here to view the current research projects within SANAP.
60’s
First Biological & Geological Expedition on Marion Island
E. Van Zinderen Bakker Sr. and Albatross on Marion Island. Image: Eduard Van Zinderen Bakker, Snr.
Plankton hauling by Neville Fuller. 6 June 1965 (Marion Island). Image: Eduard Van Zinderen Bakker, Jr.
70’s
Prof Valdon Smith taking plant samples on Marion Island. Image: Johan Grobbelaar
Johan Grobbelaar standing next to an elephant seal on Boulder Beach, Marion Island. Image: Johan Grobbelaar
A. de Villiers & D. Gerneke taking samples from penguins on Marion Island. Image: Johan Grobbelaar
80’s & 90’s
Studying King Penguins on Marion Island. Image: Sue Jackson
John Cooper in Albatross Valley (Prince Edward Island) with Wandering Albatrosses. Image: John Cooper
Ringing a Wandering Albatross on Marion Island. Image: Jeanne Nel
More recent
Gazella pup-weighing on Marion Island (2011). Image: Christiaan Conradie
Michelle Risi ringing Wandering Albatross chicks in monitoring colonies on Marion Island (2017). Image: Michelle Risi
Phatutshedzo Radzikani near elephant seal and penguins at Ships Cove, Marion Island (2005). Image: Trevor McIntyre
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 05 June 2020
