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Marion Island
last update: Jan 11, 2011 06:50 PM
Nationality: South Africa
![Marion Island (RSA) - Photo Brendon Grunewald [70South]](http://www.polarconservation.org/education/antarctic-bases/marion-island/images/marion-island-rsa-photo-brendon-grunewald-70south.jpg?isImage=1 "Marion Island (RSA) - Photo Brendon Grunewald [70South]")
Basic Information
Location: (46°52'34"S, 37°51'32"E) The Marion Island is situated in the Southern Atlantic ocean, and is built on an active volcano.
Completed: 1949
History
Marion Island was first discovered in 1663 by the Dutch ship Maerseveen. The discovery was accidental, and they made no landing on the island. After about five years Captain Cook also saw the islands, but he couldn’t make a landing due to bad weather. The first recorded landing on the island was in 1803 by a group of sealers, but they found signs of earlier occupation.
In late 1947 and early 1948 South Africa took possession of both Marion and Prince Edward islands. The two islands were annexed under the command of Lieutenant-Commander John Fairburn and the South African flag was raised.
Science
Space and Atmospheric physics, Biological studies on mice, birds (penguins, petrels, albatross, gulls and a few more), penguins and seals. There is also an important meteorological station on the island.
Other Information
Five domestic cats, including a castrated orange striped male tabby and a black and white female together with three kittens were introduced during 1949 on Marion Island. They were brought to the island to help exterminate a mouse problem in the base. The cat population exploded and their appetite changed from mice to birds. Because of this, in the 1980’s cat extermination teams were sent to the island. Today, there are no cats left on the island.
Marion Island was formed by volcanic activity. It is actually a mountain built up from the ocean floor. Only the mountain peak can be seen from the ocean surface. If the volcano is measured from the ocean floor, it is about 5000m high. Until 1980, many people thought that the volcanic activity has stopped, and the volcano was classified extinct. In that same year, it erupted, and because of this it is now classified as an active volcano.
