Ilots Des Apotres

Ilots Des Apotres

Located in the northwestern part of the Crozet Archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean, 10 km north of Île aux Cochons, the Îlots des Apôtres are a group of small and uninhabited rocky islands. The total area of the islands is only about 2 km2. It has two major islands, Île Grande, also known as the Big Island, and Île Petite, also known as the Little Island. Together they make up nearly 90 percent of the territory. Île Grande's highest peak is Mont Pierre at 289 meters. Furthermore, there are about 20 rocks that are between 15 and 122 meter high. The islands are very sheer and in spite of their tiny size, Île Grande achieves a height of 289 meters and Île Petite 246 meters. The islets, like the other islands in the Crozet Archipelago, have been designated by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area as a breeding ground for at least 25 species of seabirds. Among the birds are Gray-Headed Albatrosses, Wandering Albatrosses, Sooty Albatrosses, Light-Mantled Albatrosses, Black-Browed Albatrosses, Indian Yellow-Nosed Albatrosses, Blue Petrels, Great-Winged Petrels, White-Chinned Petrels, Soft-Plumaged Petrels, Medium-Billed Prions, Northern Giant Petrels, Common Diving Petrels, Kerguelen Terns and Crozet's Blue-Eyed Shags.