These rocky islands support a variety of plant life, such as tussock grasses, that has adapted to the snowy and icy conditions. There are a number of endemic plant species including Poa cookii grass and the Kerguelen cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica), historically a source of vitamin C for sailors, is found on all the islands, not only the Kerguelens. There are also a number of endemic lichens and liverworts.
Fauna
The islands are home to birds and insects such as butterflies, moths, weevils, and spiders as well as wildlife typical of the southern oceans such as penguins, seals and seabirds. This ecoregion is a melting pot where related Antarctic and subantarctic species and subspecies co-exist, for example the following can all be found here: the sooty albatrosses (Phoebetria fusca), light-mantled albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata), northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli), southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus), Antarctic fur seal (Arctophoca gazella) and subantarctic fur seal (Arctophoca tropicalis) on Prince Edward, Crozet and Heard Islands.
The largest seabird colonies are on the Prince Edward Islands, followed by the Crozet Islands which have breeding colonies of all six species of albatross as well as more than half the world's population of king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus).
All six Antarctic seals can be found here, the two fur seals, leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), and crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)). The fur seals and southern elephant seal breed in the region, and are increasing in numbers now that seal-hunting has stopped, while large numbers of leopard seals winter on the rocks of Heard Island. The colony of southern elephant seals on Heard Island and the Kerguelens is one of the three largest in the world.
Threats and preservation
These isolated islands are relatively unspoilt but their wildlife is not very varied and therefore can be quickly damaged by any human activity and particularly by introduced species of both plants and animals. For example, introduced grasses have taken over areas of some islands, while alien animals including moths, salmon, the mallard duck, rabbits, reindeer, sheep and goats have damaged island ecosystems. Cats and mice are a particular problem as both prey on breeding seabird colonies. Another particular threat is the danger to diving seabirds caught by long-line fishing of the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in the seas around the islands; gray-headed albatross and white-chinned petrel have been especially damaged by this industry as they habitually follow fishing boats.[5]
