Falkland Islands Islands Series - Part 4

Sea Lion Island

Issue Date: 15 September 2004
42p mini-sheet Reprint issued: 11 January 2005








Sea Lion Island

Introduction to Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island (905 hectares) is the most southerly and oceanic of all the inhabited islands in the archipelago. It is situated some 16 kilometres to the south of the mainland of East Falkland and 110 kilometres long and 2 kilometres across at its widest point and belongs to the Falkland Islands Development Corporation.

In common with neighbouring Lafonia, Sea Lion is fairly flat and low lying although there are some perpendicular cliffs, which rise to a height of 25 metres, along the south-western coastline. The highest point is Bull Hill (46 metres).

In common with many other offshore islands in the Falklands, it is comparatively fertile and was successfully run as a private sheep farm for many years. This was achieved despite the lack of a harbour or landing dock. Essential supplies were landed by boat in a gulch on the more sheltered northerly side of the island and then hauled up a cliff. This is still the case today although many lighter goods are now transported to the island by air. The farmhouse was built from the remains of a british vessel "Viscount" which was wrecked here in 1892. In recent years the sheep farming operation ceased to be viable and virtually all the livestock were removed with the exception of some cattle and a few dozen sheep for meat production. The island's ecomony now relies entirely on tourism centred on the world famous Sea Lion Lodge.

Unlike many places in the Falklands this island has remained free of introduced species such as rats, mice and cats. As a result the population of small birds is both larger and tamer than in many other areas. There are colonies of southern sealion and giant petrel as well as ducks, grebes and numerous waders to be found here. The Falklands' largest breeding assemblies of elephant seal, which during the summer total around 2000 animals, are scattered along the sand beaches towards the east end. A resident pod of killer whales are often seen close inshore, hunting the young seals pups in late spring and early summer.

42p - Dog Orchid Codonorchis lessonii

This is both the smallest and the most common of the four species of orchid recorded in the Islands. It was originally described from specimens collected at Port Louis in 1822 by R.P.Lesson who was assisting the French botanist Dumont D'Urville. This unmistakable perennial bears a solitary flower on a stem which seldom exceeds a height if 15 centimetres. The main flowering period is mid-November.It is found from sea level up to 100 metres usually amongst diddle doo, white grass or small fern. The Dog Orchid also grows in Fuegia, Patagonia and Chile, north to about 39 degrees south.

42p - King Comorant Phalacrocorax atriceps alsiventer

Common and widespread around the coasts, the King Comorant is ne of about eight similar forms of this species to be found along the coasts and inland lakes of southern South America, the Antarctic peninsula, South Georgia and on many other sub-antarctic islands circumpolarly. For a brief period during spring, while they are courting, the males in particular, and the females to a lesser extent, develop a bright orange caruncle on top of their bill which is used during displays. This species forms large, tightly packed, smelly and garrulous cliff-top colonies in which to breed, often in association with albatrosses and rockhopper penguins. They are resident throughout the year and feed mainly on fish and crustaceans.

50p - Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus Magellanicus

One of the four species of Spheniscus penguins, the magellanic is the only Falkland penguin to nest underground. Its burrow can be up to 5 metres long and located over half a mile from the sea. The "Jackass", as it is locally known because of its braying call, is a common breeding migrant which is resident in the islands from mid-September through until mid-April. Elsewhere the species ranges from Cape Horn northwards along the Chilean coast to Valparaiso, and up the Argentine coast almost to Bahia Blanca. During the winter months it is pelagic and individuals occur as far north as Copacobana in Brazil.

50p - Sea Lion Lodge

Constructed in 1986 by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation, Sea Lion Lodge was flown in kit form to the island by the Royal Air Force using Chinook helicopters. It has proved to be a huge success and provides modern accommodation with a degree of amenity which might not be expected in such a remote location. The lodge offers fine food and 16 bed spaces for visitors. Since 1996 it has also provided a base for a long-term study of the island's elephant seal population by a team of Italian scientists. The lodge is today privately owned by Mssrs Strachan Visick Ltd of London.



Technical Details

Designer: Tony Chater
Printer: BDT International Printers Ltd
Process: Lithography
Perforation: 14 per 2cms
Stamp Size: 30.56 x 38mm
Sheet Format: 24 (2x12) in pairs
Release Date: 15 September 2004
Values: 42p x 2 & 50p x 2

The stamp sheet layout for this series contains the First Day Cover design in the gutter with text. The top outer edge also contains text and is not perforated. The four stamps are presented in two sheets with each sheet containing both stamps of the same value.







Copyright: FI Philatelic Bureau Created and Maintained by: Cyberpoint Limited