Scotia Sea

Scotia Sea

The Scotia Sea is located on the northern edge of the Southern Ocean on the border with the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and largely unexplored region, situated between the tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. The sea is bounded to the west by the Drake Passage and to the north, east, and south by the Scotia Arc. The Scotia Arc is a system of submarine ridges and island arcs that support various islands. The sea itself lies on the Scotia Plate. It was named around 1932 after the Scotia, the ship used by William S. Bruce's 1902-04 Scottish National Antarctic Expedition in these waters. The Scotia Sea is an important area for marine biodiversity, with a unique combination of cold-water species adapted to the harsh, sub-Antarctic conditions. The sea is home to a wide range of marine life, including penguins, seals, and whales. The islands that border the Scotia Sea are rocky and some of them are covered with ice and snow throughout the year. The area is also home to seabirds, including four species of albatross: the Black-Browed Albatross, the Grey-Headed Albatross, the Light-Mantled Albatross, and the Wandering Albatross. Only five bird species, including an endemic race of Yellow-Billed Pintail Duck and the endemic South Georgia Pipit, remain on land on the sea’s islands. Other birds include the Southern Giant Petrel. The Scotia Sea is also home to a variety of penguin species, including large numbers of King Penguins, particularly on South Georgia, along with Chinstrap Penguin, Macaroni Penguin, Gentoo Penguin, Adelie Penguin and Rockhopper Penguin.