St. George Island (Alaska)

Location in Alaska
All American shipwreck on St George Island 1996

St. George Island is one of the Pribilof Islands of the state of Alaska, United States, in the Bering Sea off the western coast of the state. The island has a land area of 90 km² (35 sq mi) and a population of about 100 people, all living in its only community, the city of St. George, which encompasses the entire island.

The island was discovered by Gavriil Pribylov on June 25, 1786, during a search for the breeding grounds of northern fur seals. The island is named after Pribylov's ship, the St. George. St. George Island was the first of the Pribilofs to be discovered.[1]

The island is notable as being the breeding site of over 75% of the known population of red-legged kittiwakes.[2]

In 2016, a new species of beaked whale called Berardius beringiae was discovered on the island.[3]

It is considered part of the Bering Sea Volcanic Province.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Pribilof Islands Restoration Project Historical Overview". NOAA. November 10, 2005. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  2. ↑ Byrd, G. V.; Williams, J. C. (1993). "Red-legged Kittiwake". Birds of North America Online. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  3. ↑ Rosen, Yereth (July 27, 2016). "New and rare whale species identified from carcass found in Pribilofs". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ The 40Ar/39Ar chronology and eruption rates of Cenozoic volcanism in the eastern Bering Sea Volcanic Province, Alaska

Coordinates: 56°35′00″N 169°35′00″W / 56.58333°N 169.58333°W / 56.58333; -169.58333

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