Editing Shackleton Ice Shelf

{{short description|Ice shelf of Antarctica}}
{{Location map
| Antarctica
| lat_deg = 66
| lat_min = 00
| lat_sec =00
| lat_dir = S 
| lon_deg = 100
| lon_min = 00
| lon_sec = 00
| lon_dir = E
| mark = 
| marksize = 10
| AlternativeMap = Antarctica relief location map.jpg 
| label =  Shackleton Ice Shelf
| position = left
| caption = Location of Shackleton Ice Shelf in [[Antarctica]]
}}

[[File:Shack 2009054 0800 modis ch02.png|thumb|240px|NASA MODIS view of the ice shelf, seen in May 2009]]

'''Shackleton Ice Shelf''' is an extensive [[ice shelf]] fronting the coast of [[East Antarctica]] from 95°&nbsp;E to 105°&nbsp;E. It extends for an along-shore distance of about {{convert|384|km|0}}, projecting seaward about {{convert|145|km|0}} in the western portion and {{convert|64|km|0}} in the east. It occupies an area of {{convert|33,820|km2|0}}. It is part of [[Mawson Sea]] and separates the [[Queen Mary Coast]] to the west from the [[Knox Coast]] of [[Wilkes Land]] to the east.

==Discovery and naming==
The existence of this ice shelf was first made known by the [[United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842|USEE]] under [[Charles Wilkes]] who mapped a portion of it from the ''[[USS Vincennes (1826)|Vincennes]]'' in February 1840. It was explored by the [[Australian Antarctic Expedition]] under [[Douglas Mawson]] (1911–14) who named it for Sir [[Ernest Shackleton]]. The extent of the ice shelf was mapped in greater detail in 1955, using aerial photography obtained by US Navy [[Operation Highjump]], 1946–47. Further mapping by the Soviet Expedition of 1956 showed the portion eastward of [[Scott Glacier (East Antarctica)|Scott Glacier]] to be a part of this ice shelf.

==Important Bird Area==
A 500&nbsp;ha site ({{coord|64|59|19|S|96|09|21|E|source:BLI|display=inline}}) on the ice shelf has been designated an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) by [[BirdLife International]] because it supports a breeding colony of some 6,500 [[emperor penguin]]s, based on 2009 satellite imagery.<ref name=bli> {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/shackleton-ice-shelf-iba-antarctica |title= Shackleton Ice Shelf|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2015 |website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 27 November 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of glaciers]]
* [[List of Antarctic ice shelves]]
* [[Chugunov Island]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{gnis|13624|Shackleton Ice Shelf|type=antarid}}
{{coord|66|00|S|100|00|E|type:glacier_region:AQ_scale:4000000|display=title}}

{{Important Bird Areas of Antarctica}}
{{Portal bar|Birds|Geography|Earth sciences|Weather}}
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Antarctica]]
[[Category:Penguin colonies]]
[[Category:Ice shelves of Antarctica]]
[[Category:Bodies of ice of Queen Mary Land]]
[[Category:Bodies of ice of Wilkes Land]]