Possession Islands

The Possession Islands are a small group of rocky, uninhabited islands in the Ross Sea off the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica. They are notable as remote, exposed islands used by wildlife and occasional scientific visitors.

The islands support breeding seabirds and are characterised by steep, rocky shores and permanent cold-climate conditions; there are no facilities for tourists and visits are limited to carefully planned, brief landings from ice-capable ships. Onshore wildlife observations and photography are the principal activities during permitted landings.

There is no permanent human settlement; the islands are visited intermittently by scientific and logistical expeditions for ecological and geological study. They are managed under the international agreements that regulate activities in Antarctica.

Geographically the group lies in the Ross Sea off Victoria Land, in the high southern latitudes, and is reached only by sea from Antarctic research vessels operating in the region.

• Access: Access is strictly seasonal and by ship only; landings depend on sea ice and weather, typically during the austral summer.
• Legal status: Governed under the Antarctic Treaty System and treated as an environment of scientific and ecological interest with no permanent population.