Caverne Saint-Théodule
The place
Caverne Saint-Théodule in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), Rallier du Baty peninsula area (southern Kerguelen archipelago, southern Indian Ocean, France), at 139 m elevation, subantarctic coastline. Continuous TAAF Kerguelen cluster (batches 320-387, 9 listings). COUNTRY ANOMALY: TAAF not separated out, attribution to France in line with administrative law, TAAF being a 5th overseas district. Natural geological cave shelter (Saint-Théodule, referring to a Catholic ecclesiastical baptismal figure + Rallier du Baty, 1908 cartography by naturalist François Bossière + Kerguelen, the "Desolation Islands", 7215 km², discovered by Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen on 12 February 1772, 500 plant species including the anti-scurvy Kerguelen cabbage Pringlea antiscorbutica + storms of ~150 km/h in the "roaring forties/furious fifties" + IPEV's Port-aux-Français scientific base, 45-100 wintering staff + heritage of the elephant seal Mirounga leonina population, 30,000 individuals + king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus, the iconic Ratmanoff colony of 300,000 + whaling heritage 1780-1913, the end of an era, fin whale Balaenoptera physalus, 250,000 killed in Antarctic waters).
The setting
TAAF, Rallier du Baty peninsula, southern Kerguelen, southern Indian Ocean, France, 139 m, subantarctic coastline, continuous cluster batches 320-387, 9 listings, natural geological cave shelter, Saint-Théodule, Catholic ecclesiastical baptismal figure + Rallier du Baty 1908, Bossière + Kerguelen 7215 km², discovered 12 Feb 1772, "Desolation Islands", 500 plant species, Pringlea antiscorbutica + storms ~150 km/h, roaring forties/furious fifties + IPEV Port-aux-Français, 45-100 wintering staff, Mirounga leonina 30,000 + Aptenodytes patagonicus, Ratmanoff colony 300,000 + whaling 1780-1913, Balaenoptera physalus, 250,000, COUNTRY ANOMALY: TAAF not listed separately → France, administrative law, 5th overseas district.
