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Chinstrap Island or Chinstrap Islet is a small (150 meter square) low-lying island in the Balleny Islands group. The island was named for the breeding colonies of chinstrap penguins which make their home there. Prior to 2015, it was commonly considered to be an islet. In addition to nearby Sabrina Island and The Monolith, Chinstrap Island is the only known breeding site for chinstrap penguins between Bouvetoya Island in east Antarctica and Peter I Island in Westarctica, a span of 264° longitude, with the majority of breeding pairs found on Sabrina Island. In 2015, the Chinstrap Island was designated an Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) by New Zealand in a management plan that enlarged the previously-existing ASPA covering Sabrina Island (ASPA No. 104) which had been created in 2009. This enlargement specifically did not cover the maritime areas, only the islands themselves. Photo Credit: Royal New Zealand Air Force |