In the middle of the Southern Indian Ocean lies a vast underwater volcanic ridge known as the Kerguelen Plateau. At its centre sits Australia’s most remote territory: Heard Island and McDonald Islands. These icy outposts about 4,100km southwest of Perth are home to Australia’s only active volcanoes.
These isolated islands are a biodiversity hotspot. Seals and penguins abound on rocky beaches. Underwater, seabed fish species have evolved antifreeze-like compounds in their blood to cope with near-freezing temperatures.
Isolation doesn’t mean protection. The discovery of many dead elephant seal pups on Heard Island suggests highly pathogenic avian influenza may have arrived. For years, the rich fisheries around these islands were targeted by illegal fishers hunting for the sought-after Patagonian toothfish.
