114-540: Clipperton may refer to: Clipperton Island , an island in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Central America Clipperton crab, Johngarthia planata , a species of land crab found on Clipperton Island Clipperton Fracture Zone , a geological submarine fracture zone of the Pacific Ocean John Clipperton (1676–1722), English buccaneer, namesake of Clipperton Island Topics referred to by
228-441: A gazing display, one bird stares at another of the opposite sex; this generally leads to other displays. Pairs engage in a (mostly) gentler form of jabbing display, and allopreening . In an oblique headshake , a bird flings its head vigorously. The male may also parade in front of the female, walking with an exaggerated high-stepping gait and intermittently tucking his head in his breast, after collecting nesting material and before
342-610: A subadult collected in the Atlantic Ocean on 6 September 1827. The species name was derived from the Ancient Greek words κύανος ( kúanos ), meaning ' blue ' , and ὄψ ( óps ), meaning ' face ' . The English ornithologist and bird artist John Gould described Sula personata in 1846 from Australia, the species name being the Latin adjective personata , meaning ' masked ' . Gould adopted
456-593: A Mr. Lockhard of Le Havre to claim oceanic islands in the Pacific for the exploitation of guano deposits. On 17 November 1858, Emperor Napoleon III formally annexed Clipperton as part of the French protectorate of Tahiti . Sailing aboard Lockhart's ship Amiral , Ship-of-the-line Lieutenant Victor Le Coat de Kervéguen published a notice of this annexation in Hawaiian newspapers to further cement France's claim to
570-728: A concession agreement with Mexico. In 1898, Mexico made a US$ 1.5 million claim against the Oceanic Phosphate Company for the guano shipped from the island from 1895 to 1897. In 1905, the Mexican government renegotiated its agreement with the British Pacific Islands Company, establishing a military garrison on the island a year later and erecting a lighthouse under the orders of Mexican President Porfirio Díaz . Captain Ramón Arnaud
684-545: A corresponding increase in both vegetation and coconut palms. This report urgently recommended eradication of rats, which have been destroying bird nesting sites and the crab population, so that vegetation might be reduced, and the island might return to its 'pre-human' state. In 1825, Benjamin Morrell reported finding green sea turtles nesting on Clipperton, but later expeditions have not found nesting turtles there, possibly due to disruption from guano extraction, as well as
798-402: A dark tail. The sexes have similar plumage with no seasonal variation, but females are on average slightly heavier and larger than males. The bare skin around the face, throat and lores is described either as black or blue-black. It contrasts with the white plumage and gives a mask-like appearance. The bill of the nominate subspecies is pale yellow with a greenish tinge, sometimes greyish at
912-529: A passing ship to fetch help. Lighthouse keeper Victoriano Álvarez was the last man on the island, together with 15 women and children. Álvarez proclaimed himself 'king', and began a campaign of rape and murder, before being killed by Tirza Rendón, who was his favourite victim. Almost immediately after Álvarez's death, four women and seven children, the last survivors, were picked up by the U.S. Navy gunship Yorktown on 18 July 1917. Throughout Mexico's occupation of Clipperton, France insisted on its ownership of
1026-562: A short flight and holding his wings in a 'V' shape and making a call as he lands. The mated pair engages in outposting as other boobies fly overhead, stretching their necks out and forward. More direct trespassers are confronted with a yes-no headshaking , in which the booby shakes its head from side to side or up and down and ruffles its head feathers to make its head look bigger and facial markings more prominent. It may cock its tail and hold its wings up away from its body. Neighbouring boobies may escalate by jabbing and lunging at each other. In
1140-427: A short, brutal reign as "king" of the island. Eleven survivors were rescued in 1917 and Clipperton was abandoned. The dispute between Mexico and France over Clipperton was taken to binding international arbitration in 1909. Victor Emmanuel III , King of Italy, was chosen as arbitrator and decided in 1931 that the island was French territory. Despite the ruling, Clipperton remained largely uninhabited until 1944 when
1254-479: A still seaworthy lifeboat, four members of the crew volunteered to row to Acapulco for help. The USS Cleveland arrived months later to rescue the crew. While there, the captain offered to transport the survivors of the colony back to Acapulco; Arnaud refused as he believed a supply ship would soon arrive. By 1917, all but one of the male inhabitants had died. Many had perished from scurvy , while others, including Arnaud, died during an attempt to sail after
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#17327763196911368-771: Is 3,152 km (1,959 mi); a bird tagged at Raine Island in the Great Barrier Reef in December 1981 was picked up and released at Phillip Island (off Norfolk Island) in December 1986. The masked booby begins breeding by around four or five years of age, though can occasionally do so at three years old. Adults form monogamous relationships with many pairs remaining together over multiple breeding seasons. Highly territorial when nesting, single males and mated pairs engage in agonistic displays to mark their ground against neighbours and interlopers. The male advertises his territory to females by flight circuiting —making
1482-404: Is believed to be composed of recently introduced species. Sachet suspected that Heliotropium curassavicum , and possibly Portulaca oleracea , were native. Coconut palms and pigs introduced in the 1890s by guano miners were still present in the 1940s. The largest coconut grove is Bougainville Wood ( Bois de Bougainville ) on the southwestern end of the island. On the northwest side of
1596-535: Is bright white with black wings, a black tail and a dark face mask; at 75–85 cm (30–33 in) long, it is the largest species of booby. The sexes have similar plumage. This species ranges across tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific. In the latter, it is replaced by the Nazca booby ( Sula granti ), which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of masked booby. Nesting takes place in colonies , generally on islands and atolls far from
1710-413: Is common to only two beaches (northeast and southwest), and the rest of the island is fairly clean. Other refuse has been left after the occupations by Americans 1944–1945, French 1966–1969, and the 2008 scientific expedition. During a 2015 scientific and amateur radio expedition to Clipperton, the operating team discovered a package that contained 1.2 kilograms (2.6 lb) of cocaine. It is suspected that
1824-477: Is devoid of fish, and is shallow over large parts except for some deep basins with depths of 43–72 m (141–236 ft ), including a spot known as Trou Sans Fond ('the bottomless hole') with acidic water at its base. The water is described as being almost fresh at the surface and highly eutrophic . Seaweed beds cover approximately 45% of the lagoon's surface. The rim averages 150 m (490 ft ) in width, reaching 400 m (1,300 ft ) in
1938-408: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Clipperton Island Clipperton Island (French: La Passion–Clipperton [la pasjɔ̃ klipœʁtɔn] ; Spanish: Isla de la Pasión ), also known as Clipperton Atoll and previously as Clipperton's Rock , is an 8.9 km (3.4 sq mi ) uninhabited French coral atoll in
2052-756: Is found across tropical oceans between the 30th parallel north and 30th parallel south . In the Indian Ocean it ranges from the coastlines of the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa across to Sumatra and Western Australia, though it is not found off the coast of the Indian subcontinent. Off the Western Australian coastline it is found as far south as the Dampier Archipelago . In the Pacific, it ranges from Brisbane eastwards. It
2166-899: Is found in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean south to Ascension Island. In the eastern Pacific off the coast of Colombia and Ecuador, the masked booby is replaced by the Nazca booby. A vagrant was rescued in 2015 in Newport, Oregon . In the Atlantic, Caribbean birds occasionally wander north to warm southern Gulf Stream waters off the eastern seaboard of the United States, with single records from Island Beach in New Jersey and New York. There are summer records from Delaware Bay , and Worcester County, Maryland , as well as waters off
2280-483: Is important for feeding. As an example, waters around Raine Island , at the edge of the Great Barrier Reef , are anywhere from 180 to 3,700 m (590 to 12,140 ft) deep. On these landforms, masked boobies select sites of generally flat, bare or exposed open ground that lie above the high-tide level with access to the ocean. During the breeding season, the species remains near the colony. At other times, juveniles and some adults disperse widely, though some remain at
2394-472: Is killed by its elder sibling. These birds are spectacular plunge divers , plunging into the ocean at high speed in search of prey—mainly flying fish . The species faces few threats; although its population is declining, it is considered to be a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The French naturalist René Lesson was a member of the crew on
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#17327763196912508-408: Is laid, with an interval of five to eight days between the laying of each egg. Occasionally nests with three eggs are reported; these are probably due to an egg from another nest rolling downhill into the nest. The eggs have an average size of 64 mm × 45 mm (2.5 in × 1.8 in) and weigh 75 g (2.6 oz). They are incubated by both adults for 45 days. Parents incubate
2622-572: Is mostly a sandy desert with only 674 palms counted by Christian Jost during the Passion 2001 French mission and five islets in the lagoon with grass that the terrestrial crabs cannot reach. A 2005 report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's Southwest Fisheries Science Center indicated that after the introduction of rats and their increased presence has led to a decline in both crab and bird populations, causing
2736-416: Is native to the island". Historical accounts from 1711, 1825, and 1839 show a low grassy or suffrutescent (partially woody) flora. During Marie-Hélène Sachet 's visit in 1958, the vegetation was found to consist of a sparse cover of spiny grass and low thickets, a creeping plant ( Ipomoea spp. ), and stands of coconut palm. This low-lying herbaceous flora seems to be a pioneer in nature, and most of it
2850-562: Is often encountered alone, or in a small group when returning to its colony. Regarding the masked booby's longevity, a bird tagged at Nepean Island (off Norfolk Island) in September 1979 was recovered and released after being caught in fishing gear 24 years and 9.9 months later some 713 km (443 mi) away off the Isle of Pines , New Caledonia in July 2004. The longest distance travelled
2964-638: Is one of the few islands in the Pacific that lacks an underwater archipelagic apron . The atoll is low-lying and largely barren, with some scattered grasses, and a few clumps of coconut palms ( Cocos nucifera ). The land ring surrounding the lagoon measures 1.7 square kilometres (0.66 sq mi) in area with an average elevation of 2 m (6.6 ft ), although a small volcanic outcropping, referred to as Clipperton Rock ( Rocher de Clipperton ), rises to 29 m (95 ft ) on its southeast side. The surrounding 3.7-square-kilometre (1.4 sq mi) reef hosts an abundance of corals and
3078-465: Is partly exposed at low tide. In 2001 a geodetic marker was placed to evaluate if the land is rising or sinking. Clipperton Rock is the remains of the island's now extinct volcano's rim; because it includes this rocky outcropping, Clipperton is not a true atoll and is sometimes referred to as a 'near-atoll'. The surrounding reef in combination with the weather makes landing on the island difficult and anchoring offshore hazardous for larger ships; in
3192-655: Is that the vegetation is arranged in parallel rows of species, with dense rows of taller species alternating with lower, more open vegetation. This was assumed to be a result of the trench-digging method of phosphate mining used by guano hunters. The only land animals known to exist are two species of reptiles (the Pacific stump-toed gecko and the copper-tailed skink ), bright-orange land crabs known as Clipperton crabs ( Johngarthia oceanica , prior to 2019 classified as Johngartia planata ), birds, and ship rats . The rats probably arrived when large fishing boats wrecked on
3306-400: Is yellow. The subspecies differ slightly in size and sometimes also in the colour of the irises, bill, legs and feet. The race melanops has an orange-yellow bill and olive-grey legs, the race tasmani has dark brown irises and dark grey-green legs and the race personata has olive to blueish-grey legs. For the subspecies tasmani and the nominate dactylatra , during the breeding season,
3420-533: The La Coquille , captained by Louis Isidore Duperrey , on its voyage around the world undertaken between August 1822 and March 1825. In the multi-volume publication by Duperrey about the voyage, Lesson authored the ornithological sections. In his 1829 account of the visit to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean , Lesson mentioned encountering masked boobies, and in a footnote proposed
3534-566: The National Geographic Explorer and plotting a GPS map of Clipperton for the National Geographic Society . In 2005, a four-month scientific mission organised by Jean-Louis Étienne made a complete inventory of Clipperton's mineral, plant, and animal species; studied algae as deep as 100 m (328 ft ) below sea level; and examined the effects of pollution. A 2008 expedition from
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3648-672: The Clipperton Island Case remains widely studied in international law textbooks. In the late 1930s, as flying boats opened the Pacific to air travel, Clipperton Island was noted as a possible waypoint for a trans-Pacific route from the Americas to Asia via the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, bypassing Hawaii. However, France indicated no interest in developing commercial air traffic in
3762-811: The Coral Sea , breeding takes place year-round, with egg-laying peaking from September to early November, while on nearby Raine Island birds begin laying in or after August, likely peaking September to early November. Eggs are laid between May and September on Lord Howe Island, and early July to early January (peaking in September) on Phillip Island. In the northern hemisphere, egg-laying on Kure Atoll can be any time from January to early July, peaking in February and March. On Clipperton Island, egg-laying peaks in November to coordinate with peak fish productivity of
3876-600: The Galápagos Islands in Ecuador . The nearest land is Socorro Island , about 945 km (510 nmi ) to the northwest in the Revillagigedo Archipelago . The nearest French-owned island is Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia . Despite its proximity to North America, Clipperton is often considered one of the eastern-most points of Oceania due to being part
3990-534: The University of New Caledonia Nouméa , made extensive studies of the island in 1997. In 2001, French National Centre for Scientific Research geographer Christian Jost extended the 1997 studies through the French Passion 2001 expedition, which focused on the evolution of Clipperton's ecosystem . In 2003, cinematographer Lance Milbrand stayed on the island for 41 days, recording the adventure for
4104-426: The University of Washington 's School of Oceanography collected sediment cores from the lagoon to study climate change over the past millennium. Clipperton is a ring-shaped atoll that completely encloses a stagnant fresh water lagoon and measures 12 km (7.5 mi ) in circumference and 720 hectares (2.8 sq mi) in area. The island is the only coral island in the eastern Pacific. The lagoon
4218-496: The binomial name Sula dactylatra . Lesson subsequently provided a formal description of the masked booby in 1831. The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek δάκτυλος ( dáktul ), meaning ' finger ' , and the Latin ater , meaning ' black ' . "Black fingers" refers to the splayed wingtips in flight. The Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall described the species as Dysporus cyanops in 1837 from
4332-515: The blue-footed ( Sula nebouxii ) and Peruvian boobies ( Sula variegata ). The masked and Nazca boobies were divergent enough to indicate that the latter, formerly regarded as a subspecies of the former, should be classified as a separate species. Molecular evidence suggests they most likely diverged between 0.8 and 1.1 million years ago. Complex water currents in the eastern Pacific may have established an environmental barrier leading to speciation . Subfossil bones 14,000 years old belonging to
4446-406: The masked gannet or the blue-faced booby , is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae . First described by the French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831, the masked booby is one of six species of booby in the genus Sula . It has a typical sulid body shape, with a long pointed yellowish bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult
4560-536: The pelican posture , a bird tucks the tip of its bill into its chest, possibly positioned to avoid injury to others. This posture is used against intruders or as advertising for a mate. There are several displays related to the establishment and maintenance of pair-bonding. The male initiates sky-pointing when a female approaches or leaves his territory. In this display, he paces slowly with his neck and bill pointed upwards—between vertical and 45 degrees—with wings partly raised and whistling faintly with an open bill. In
4674-482: The 17th supplement to their checklist in 1920. "Masked booby" has been designated the official common name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). The species has also been called the masked gannet, blue-faced booby, white booby (for its plumage), and whistling booby (for its distinctive call). The Australian ornithologist Doug Dorward promoted the name "white booby" as he felt
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4788-507: The 1940s American ships reported active problems in this regard. The environment of Clipperton Island has been studied extensively with the first recordings and sample collection being done in the 1800s. Modern research on Clipperton is focused primarily on climate science and migratory wildlife. The SURPACLIP oceanographic expedition, a joint undertaking by the National Autonomous University of Mexico and
4902-520: The Arabian coast. The argasid tick Ornithodoros capensis and the ixodid tick Amblyomma loculosum have also been recorded as parasites, the latter possibly spreading piroplasmosis caused by Babesia among boobies. On Raine Island and Pandora Cay, nests have been destroyed by green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas ) as they pass through booby colonies and dig their own nests in large numbers. Rats prey on eggs and young of many seabirds, though
5016-670: The Clipperton EEZ during the Passion 2015 expedition. The island is an overseas state private property of France under direct authority of the Minister of the Overseas . Although the island is French territory, it has no status within the European Union. Ownership of Clipperton Island was disputed in the 19th and early 20th centuries between France and Mexico , but was finally settled through arbitration in 1931;
5130-700: The French Indo-Pacific, and to commonalities between its marine fauna and the marine fauna of Hawaii and Kiribati 's Line Islands , with the island sitting along the migration path for animals in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region. The island is the only emerged part of the East Pacific Rise , as well as the only feature in the Clipperton Fracture Zone that breaks the ocean's surface, and it
5244-597: The French that they did not intend to assert American sovereignty over the island. A few weeks later, on 13 December 1897, Mexico sent the gunboat La Demócrata and a group of marines to assert its claim on the island, evicting the Americans, raising the Mexican flag, and drawing a protest from France. From 1898 to 1905, the Pacific Islands Company worked the Clipperton guano deposits under
5358-496: The International Ornithologists' Union. The largest species of booby, the masked booby ranges from 75 to 85 cm (30 to 33 in) long, with a 160–170 cm (63–67 in) wingspan and 1.2–2.2 kg (2.6–4.9 lb) weight. It has a typical sulid body shape, with a long pointed bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult is bright white with dark wings and
5472-595: The Italian king biased towards France, consulted international experts on the validity of the decision, but ultimately Mexico accepted Victor Emmanuel's findings. The Mexican press at the time raised the issue of the Monroe Doctrine with the United States, stating that the French claim had preceded its issuance. France formally took possession of Clipperton on January 26, 1935. Masked booby See text The masked booby ( Sula dactylatra ), also called
5586-626: The Oceanic Phosphate Company began negotiations with the British Pacific Islands Company to transfer its interest in Clipperton; this drew the attention of both French and Mexican officials. On 24 November 1897, French naval authorities arrived on the Duguay Trouin and found three Americans working on the island. The French ordered the American flag to be lowered. At that time, U.S. authorities assured
5700-495: The Pacific to the Indian Ocean, where the largest individuals are found. Genetic analysis using mtDNA control region sequences shows that populations in the Indian and Pacific Oceans greatly expanded around 180,000 years ago, and that these became separated from Atlantic populations around 115,000 years ago. Furthermore, within each ocean, there is evidence of reduced gene flow between populations that does not correspond with any physical barrier. Four subspecies are recognized by
5814-529: The U.S. Navy established a weather station on the island to support its war efforts in the Pacific. France protested and, as concerns about Japanese activity in the eastern Pacific waned, the U.S. abandoned the site in late 1945. Since the end of World War II, Clipperton has primarily been the site for scientific expeditions to study the island's wildlife and marine life, including its significant masked and brown booby colonies. It has also hosted climate scientists and amateur radio DX-peditions . Plans to develop
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#17327763196915928-546: The area are infrequent, this includes a significant amount of illegal fishing, along with lobster harvesting and shark finning , resulting in estimated losses for France of €0.42 per kilogram of fish caught. As deep-sea mining of polymetallic nodules increases in the adjacent Clarion–Clipperton Zone , similar mining activity within France's exclusive economic zone surrounding the atoll may have an impact on marine life around Clipperton. Polymetallic nodules were discovered in
6042-411: The area as evident by fossilized specimens. Studies of the water have found that microbial communities on the water's surface are similar to other water samples from around the world with deeper water samples showing a great diversity of both bacteria and archaea . In 2005, a group of French scientists discovered three dinoflagellate microalgae species in the lagoon: Peridiniopsis cristata , which
6156-462: The atoll, the most abundant plant species are Cenchrus echinatus , Sida rhombifolia , and Corchorus aestuans . These plants compose a shrub cover up to 30 cm (12 in ) in height, and are intermixed with Eclipta , Phyllanthus , and Solanum , as well as the taller Brassica juncea . The islets in the lagoon are primarily vegetated with Cyperaceae , Scrophulariaceae , and Ipomoea pes-caprae . A unique feature of Clipperton
6270-571: The availability of fish there. In 2005, 508 young masked boobies at the colony suffered from " angel wing ", a congenital deformity of one or both wings resulting in flightlessness. This coincided with a season of high nestling mortality that was likely related to low numbers of yellowfin tuna due to possible overfishing at a crucial time in the breeding season. The warm phase ( El Niño ) of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation in 1982 and 1983 negatively impacted breeding on Christmas Island as
6384-446: The base. Conical in shape, the bill is longer than the head and tapers to a slightly downcurved tip. Backward-pointing serrations line the mandibles. The primaries , secondaries , humerals and rectrices are brown-black. The inner webs of the secondaries are white at the base. The underwing is white except for the brown-black flight-feathers that are not covered by the white coverts . The legs are yellow-orange or olive. The iris
6498-407: The blue coloration of its face was less prominent than that of the red-footed booby ( Sula sula ). The masked booby is one of six species of booby in the genus Sula . A 2011 genetic study ( depicted below ) using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA showed the masked and Nazca boobies ( Sula granti ) to be each other's closest relatives, their lineage diverging from a line that gave rise to
6612-568: The booby". Thirteen species of birds are known to breed on the island and 26 others have been observed as visitors. The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because of the large breeding colony of masked boobies, with 110,000 individual birds recorded. Observed bird species include white terns , masked boobies , sooty terns , brown boobies , brown noddies , black noddies , great frigatebirds , coots , martins (swallows), cuckoos , and yellow warblers . Ducks and moorhens have been reported in
6726-447: The chicks are quite fluffy by week 5–6. The primaries and rectrices appear by week 8, and scapulars appear by week 10. They begin losing their down from week 12 onwards, until they are wholly covered by juvenile plumage by week 15 or 16, and fledge at around 120 days (17 weeks) of age. After leaving the nest, young birds are dependent on their parents for 3–4 weeks before dispersing out to sea. Although two eggs are often laid,
6840-633: The coast of Brazil, Ascension Island in the south Atlantic, and five islands of the Campeche Bank in the Gulf of Mexico . The species attempted to nest at Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico over 1984 and 1985; 19 pairs were recorded there in 1998. The masked booby generally flies at least 7 m (23 ft) in height, and at speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph). It alternates between gliding and active flying with strong periodic wingbeats. It
6954-465: The coast of Spain. During the monsoon season (midyear), the masked booby is an occasional vagrant along the western coast of India, with records from Kerala , Karnataka, and Maharashtra states. It is a vagrant to the Caroline Islands north of New Guinea. Breeding colonies are located on remote islands, atolls and cays. Lord Howe Island is the southernmost colony. Deep water nearby
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#17327763196917068-405: The colony year-round. Most (but not all) birds return to breed at the colony of their birth; once they begin breeding at a site, they will return there annually. The largest masked booby colony is on Clipperton Island in the eastern Pacific Ocean, a desert atoll southwest of Mexico. In 2003, 112,000 birds were counted, having recovered from 150 individuals in 1958. The population had suffered from
7182-593: The corridor. After France ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1996, they reaffirmed the exclusive economic zone off Clipperton island which had been established in 1976. After changes were made to the area nations were allowed to claim under the third convention of UNCLOS France in 2018 expanded the outer limits of the territorial sea to 22 km (12 nmi) and
7296-470: The crew of HMS Supply on Lord Howe Island. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the masked booby as a species of least concern , though the population worldwide is decreasing. At Clipperton Island, the colony was benefitted by the presence of yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares ), which drove their prey item—flying fish—to the surface, facilitating predation by boobies. It may be that overfishing of tuna adversely impacts
7410-725: The drier months. The prevailing winds are the southeast trade winds . The rainy season occurs from May to October, and the region is subject to tropical cyclones from April to September, but such storms often pass to the northeast of Clipperton. In 1997 Clipperton was in the path of the start of Hurricane Felicia , as well as Hurricane Sandra in 2015. In addition, Clipperton has been subjected to multiple tropical storms and depressions including Tropical Storm Andres in 2003. Surrounding ocean waters are warm, pushed by equatorial and counter-equatorial currents and have seen temperature increases due to global warming. When Snodgrass and Heller visited in 1898, they reported that "no land plant
7524-537: The eastern Pacific Ocean . The only French territory in the North Pacific, Clipperton is 10,675 km (6,633 mi ) from Paris , France; 5,400 km (2,900 nmi ) from Papeete , French Polynesia ; and 1,280 km (690 nmi ) from Acapulco , Mexico. Clipperton was documented by French merchant-explorers in 1711 and formally claimed as part of the French protectorate of Tahiti in 1858. Despite this, American guano miners began working
7638-471: The eggs by resting on their tarsi and wrapping their webbed feet over the eggs, with the outermost toes resting on the ground. Their feet are more vascular at this time. When first hatched, the chicks are about 10 cm (3.9 in) long and weigh around 40–60 g (1.4–2.1 oz), with a sparse covering of white down over their grey to pinkish-grey skin. Altricial and nidicolous , their eyes are open at birth. Their down thickens as they age, and
7752-401: The endemic sponges, collected during the 1938 visit, was named Callyspongia roosevelti in honor of Roosevelt. In April 2009, Steven Robinson, a tropical fish dealer from Hayward, California , traveled to Clipperton to collect Clipperton angelfish . Upon his return to the United States, he described the 52 illegally collected fish to federal wildlife authorities as king angelfish , not
7866-647: The exclusive economic zone off Clipperton Island to 370 km (200 nmi), encompassing 431,273 square kilometres (166,515 sq mi) of ocean. On 21 February 2007, administration of Clipperton was transferred from the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia to the Minister of Overseas France. In 2015, French MP Philippe Folliot set foot on Clipperton becoming
7980-517: The first elected official from France to do so. Folliot noted that visiting Clipperton was something he had wanted to do since he was nine years old. Following the visit, Folliot reported to the National Assembly on the pressing need to reaffirm French sovereignty over the atoll and its surrounding maritime claims. He also proposed establishing an international scientific research station on Clipperton and administrative reforms surrounding
8094-515: The first recorded landing on Clipperton, exploring the island and making a detailed report of its vegetation. The common name for the island comes from John Clipperton , an English pirate and privateer who fought the Spanish during the early 18th century, and who is said to have passed by the island. Some sources claim that he used it as a base for his raids on shipping. After its declaration of independence in 1821, Mexico took possession of
8208-436: The genus Mugil , and the purpleback flying squid ( Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis ). Silver gulls ( Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae ) and buff-banded rails ( Gallirallus philippensis ) prey on eggs and young. On some islands such as Ascension and Saint Helena, feral cats have been a threat to masked boobies. The tick species Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) muesebecki was described parasitising nesting blue-faced boobies off
8322-534: The globe. On 15 November 1528, Spaniard Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón discovered an island he called Isla Médanos in the region while on an expedition commissioned by his cousin, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés , to find a route to the Philippines . Although both San Pablo and Isla Médanos are considered to be possible sightings of Clipperton, the island was first charted by French merchant Michel Dubocage , commanding La Découverte , who arrived at
8436-569: The head until the head is wholly white by 14 to 15 months of age. Full adult plumage is acquired three to four months before the bird turns three years old. The masked booby is usually silent at sea, but is noisy at the nesting colonies. The main call of male birds is a descending whistle; that of females is a loud honk. The adult masked booby is distinguished from the related Nazca booby by its yellow rather than orange bill, larger size and less distinctive sexual dimorphism. The latter nests on steep cliffs rather than flat ground. The white morph of
8550-411: The highest concentration of endemic species found anywhere with more than 115 species identified. Many species are recorded in the area, including five or six endemics, such as Clipperton angelfish ( Holacanthus limbaughi ), Clipperton grouper ( Epinephelus clippertonensis ), Clipperton damselfish ( Stegastes baldwini ) and Robertson's wrasse ( Thalassoma robertsoni ). Widespread species around
8664-497: The introduction of feral pigs in the 1890s. These pigs preyed on the crabs that ate the vegetation. After the elimination of pigs in 1964, the crab population rose and vegetation largely disappeared. This was beneficial to the boobies, as they prefer open ground. Clipperton is on a narrow ridge surrounded by deep water. The colony on Lord Howe Island numbered in the thousands at the time of the island's discovery in 1788, but has declined to under 500 pairs—mostly on offshore islets with
8778-402: The introduction of pigs and rats. Sea turtles found on the island appear to have been injured due to fishing practices. Morrell also reported fur and elephant seals on the island in 1825, but they too have not been recorded by later expeditions. Birds are common on the island; Morrell noted in 1825: "The whole island is literally covered with sea-birds, such as gulls, whale-birds, gannets, and
8892-663: The island and that the claim was not bonded as was required by law. Additionally during this time there were concerns in Mexico that the British or Americans would lay claim to the island. Despite the lack of U.S. approval of its claim, the Oceanic Phosphate Company began mining guano on the island in 1895. Although the company had plans for as many as 200 workers on the island, at its peak only 25 men were stationed there. The company shipped its guano to Honolulu and San Francisco where it sold for between US$ 10 and US$ 20 per ton. In 1897,
9006-490: The island are an important nursery for sharks, particularly the white tip shark . Galapagos sharks , reef sharks , whale sharks , and hammerhead sharks are also present around Clipperton. Three expeditions to Clipperton have collected sponge specimens, including U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt 's visit in 1938. Of the 190 specimens collected, 20 species were noted, including nine found only at Clipperton. One of
9120-625: The island for trade and tourism have been considered, but none have been enacted and the island remains mostly uninhabited with periodic visits from the French navy. The coral island is located at 10°18′N 109°13′W / 10.300°N 109.217°W / 10.300; -109.217 ( Clipperton Island ) in the East Pacific, 1,080 km (583 nmi ) southwest of Mexico, 2,424 km (1,309 nmi) west of Nicaragua , 2,545 km (1,374 nmi) west of Costa Rica and 2,390 km (1,290 nmi) northwest of
9234-407: The island in 1999 and 2000. The pigs introduced in the 1890s reduced the crab population, which in turn allowed grassland to gradually cover about 80 per cent of the land surface. The elimination of these pigs in 1958, the result of a personal project by Kenneth E. Stager , caused most of this vegetation to disappear as the population of land crabs recovered. As a result, Clipperton
9348-474: The island in the early 1890s. As interest in the island grew, Mexico asserted a claim to the island based upon Spanish records from the 1520s that may have identified the island. Mexico established a small military colony on the island in 1905, but during the Mexican Revolution contact with the mainland became infrequent, most of the colonists died, and lighthouse keeper Victoriano Álvarez instituted
9462-602: The island on Good Friday , 3 April 1711; he was joined the following day by fellow ship captain Martin de Chassiron [ fr ] and La Princesse . The island was given the name Île de la Passion ('Passion Island') as the date of rediscovery fell within Passiontide . They drew up the first map of the island and claimed it for France. In August 1825, American sea captain Benjamin Morrell made
9576-485: The island, and lengthy diplomatic correspondence between the two countries led to a treaty on 2 March 1909, agreeing to seek binding international arbitration by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy , with each nation promising to abide by his determination. In 1931, Victor Emmanuel III issued his arbitral decision in the Clipperton Island Case , declaring Clipperton a French possession. Mexican President Pascual Ortiz Rubio , in response to public opinion that considered
9690-558: The island. In 1892, a claim on the island was filed with the U.S. State Department under the U.S. Guano Islands Act by Frederick W. Permien of San Francisco on behalf of the Stonington Phosphate Company. In 1893, Permien transferred those rights to a new company, the Oceanic Phosphate Company. In response to the application, the State Department rejected the claim, noting France's prior claim on
9804-431: The lagoon and water caught from rain, no freshwater sources are known to exist. The island has a tropical oceanic climate, with average temperatures of 20–32 °C (68–90 °F ) and highs up to 37.8 °C (100.0 °F ). Annual rainfall is 3,000 to 5,000 millimetres (120 to 200 in), and the humidity level is generally between 85 per cent and 95 per cent with December to March being
9918-428: The lagoon water, while "muddy and dirty", was drinkable, despite not tasting very good. Several of the castaways drank it, with no apparent ill effects. Survivors of a Mexican military colony in 1917 (see below) indicated that they were dependent upon rain for their water supply, catching it in old boats. American servicemen on the island during World War II had to use evaporators to purify the lagoon's water. Aside from
10032-440: The lagoon with an oxic and brackish upper water layer and a deep sulfuric anoxic saline layer. At a depth of approximately 15 m (49 ft ) the water shifts with salinity rising and both pH and oxygen quickly decreasing. The deepest levels of the lagoon record waters enriched with hydrogen sulfide which prevent the growth of coral. Before the lagoon was closed off to seawater, coral and clams were able to survive in
10146-574: The lagoon. The coral reef on the north side of the island includes colonies more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) high. The 2018 Tara Pacific expedition located five colonies of Millepora platyphylla at depths of 28–32 metres (92–105 ft), the first of this fire coral species known in the region. Among the Porites spp. stony corals, some bleaching was observed, along with other indications of disease or stress, including parasitic worms and microalgae. The reefs that surround Clipperton have some of
10260-525: The lands that had once belonged to Spain. As Spanish records noted the existence of the island as early as 1528, the territory was incorporated into Mexico. The Mexican constitution of 1917 explicitly includes the island, using the Spanish name La Pasión , as Mexican territory. This would be amended on January 18, 1934, after the sovereignty dispute over the island was settled in favor of France. — Mexican Constitution of 1917 In April 1858, French minister Eugène Rouher reached an agreement with
10374-400: The leg colour of male birds contains more yellow-red than those of the females. The juvenile is a streaked or mottled grey-brown on the head and upperparts, with a whitish neck collar. The wings are dark brown and underparts are white. Its bill is yellowish, face is blue-grey and iris a dark brown. Older immature birds have a broader white collar and rump, and more and more white feathers on
10488-445: The mainland and close to deep water required for foraging. Territorial when breeding, the masked booby performs agonistic displays to defend its nest. Potential and mated pairs engage in courtship and greeting displays. The female lays two chalky white eggs in a shallow depression on flat ground away from vegetation. The chicks are born featherless, but are soon covered in white down . The second chick born generally does not survive and
10602-599: The name Sula cyanops in his 1865 Handbook to the Birds of Australia . Sundevall's binomial name was followed as Lesson's 1829 record did not sufficiently describe the species; however, in 1911, the Australian amateur ornithologist Gregory Mathews pointed out that although Lesson's 1829 account did not describe the bird, his 1831 account did, and thus predated Sundevall by six years, and hence Sula dactylactra had priority . The American Ornithological Union followed in
10716-420: The open ground preferred by the species. By 2007, an estimated 300 pairs were breeding over the island, though the island flora's regeneration after the removal of feral animals might begin to limit suitable nesting sites. In 2006, two pairs nested in a brown booby colony on Morros del Potosí (White Friars Rocks) near Zihuatanejo in southern Mexico. Major nesting areas in the Atlantic include Rocas Atoll off
10830-494: The oversight of the atoll. In 2022, France passed legislation officially referring to the island as "La Passion–Clipperton". There are several claims to the first discovery of the island. The earliest recorded possible sighting is 24 January 1521 when Portuguese-born Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered an island he named San Pablo after turning westward away from the American mainland during his circumnavigation of
10944-554: The package washed up after being discarded at sea. In April 2023, the Passion 23 mission by France's Armed Forces in the Antilles [ fr ] and the surveillance frigate Germinal collected more than 200 kilograms (440 lb) of plastic waste from the island's beaches along with a bale of cocaine. The Sea Around Us Project estimates the Clipperton EEZ produces a harvest of 50,000 metric tons (55,000 short tons) of fish per year; however, because French naval patrols in
11058-651: The pair begins laying. The male presents small sticks and debris as nesting material in a gesture of symbolic nest-building, which leads to copulation. Afterwards, the pair engages in more symbolic nest-building. The twigs and debris are cleared away later as none is actually used in adorning the nest while in use. Breeding takes place at different times of year throughout its range. On the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , egg-laying takes place from January to July, peaking in June, with juvenile birds from April to December. On Moulter Cay in
11172-725: The rarer Clipperton angelfish, which he intended to sell for $ 10,000. On 15 December 2011, Robinson was sentenced to 45 days of incarceration, one year of probation, and a $ 2,000 fine. During the night of 10 February 2010, the Sichem Osprey , a Maltese chemical tanker , ran aground en route from the Panama Canal to South Korea . The 170 m (558 ft ) ship contained 10,513 metric tons (11,589 short tons) of xylene , 6,005 metric tons (6,619 short tons) of soybean oil, and 6,000 metric tons (6,600 short tons) of tallow. All 19 crew members were reported safe, and
11286-641: The red-footed booby is similar but smaller. Abbott's booby ( Papasula abbotti ) has a more wholly black upperwing, and a longer neck and tail and larger head, while the Cape gannet ( Morus capensis ) and the Australasian gannet ( Morus serrator ) have a buff-yellow crown, shorter tail, white humerals and a grey rather than yellowish bill. The juvenile masked booby resembles the brown booby ( Sula leucogaster ), though adults of that species have clearly demarcated brown and white plumage. The masked booby
11400-619: The reefs include Pacific creolefish , blue-and-gold snapper , and various species of goatfish . In the water column, trevallies are predominant, including black jacks , bigeye trevally , and bluefin trevally . Also common around Clipperton are black triggerfish ;, several species of groupers , including leather bass and starry groupers ; Mexican hogfish ; whitecheek , convict , and striped-fin surgeonfish ; yellow longnose and blacknosed butterflyfish ; coral hawkfish ; golden pufferfish ; Moorish idols ; parrotfish ; and moray eels, especially speckled moray eels . The waters around
11514-407: The remainder on two hard-to-access headlands—by 2005. Hunting by humans is thought to have played a role; although rats were introduced to the island in 1918, there has been no evidence they are able to kill chicks or eggs—possibly due to the size of the adult boobies. The masked booby was first recorded breeding on Philip Island off Norfolk Island in 1908, with devegetation by feral animals creating
11628-470: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Clipperton . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clipperton&oldid=949761095 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Hidden categories: Short description
11742-445: The shallow parts of the lake contain eroded coral heads from when the lagoon was last connected with the ocean. During visits in 1897 and 1898 the depth at the middle of the lagoon was recorded as being between two inches and two feet due to the dead coral. The surface of the lagoon has a high concentration of phytoplankton that vary slightly with the seasons. As a result of this the water columns are stratified and do not mix leaving
11856-524: The size of masked boobies probably prevents direct predation. On Clipperton Island, rats prey on the crab that eats vegetation. The Taíno ate masked and red-footed boobies that nested on Grand Turk Island around 1000 years ago. The two species subsequently vanished from the Turks and Caicos Islands. A booby yielded around 1–2 kg (2–5 lb) of meat. European sailors in the area also caught and ate tame boobies. Masked booby young and eggs were eaten by
11970-433: The species have been found in deposits on St. Helena Island. Red-footed booby ( Sula sula ) Brown booby ( Sula leucogaster ) Masked booby ( Sula dactylatra ) Nazca booby ( Sula granti ) Blue-footed booby ( Sula nebouxii ) Peruvian booby ( Sula variegata ) There is a clinal change in size across the masked booby's range. Birds in the Atlantic are the smallest, with the size increasing westwards though
12084-466: The surrounding waters in January (for growing chicks). Masked boobies lay at any time in the Caribbean, peaking between March and September. The nest is a cleared area 0.75 to 1 m (2 ft 6 in to 3 ft 3 in) in diameter, within which is a clearly demarcated 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) shallow (1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) deep) depression. A clutch of two chalky white eggs
12198-411: The territory. He arrived on Clipperton as governor later that year. By 1914 around 100 men, women, and children lived on the island, resupplied every two months by a ship from Acapulco . With the escalation of fighting in the Mexican Revolution , regular resupply visits ceased, and the inhabitants were left to their own devices. On 28 February 1914, the schooner Nokomis wrecked on Clipperton; with
12312-539: The vessel reported no leaks. The vessel was re-floated on 6 March and returned to service. In mid-March 2012, the crew from the Clipperton Project noted the widespread presence of refuse, particularly on the northeast shore, and around the Clipperton Rock. Debris, including plastic bottles and containers, create a potentially harmful environment for the island's flora and fauna. This trash
12426-414: The water into the ocean at high speed, to depths of up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in search of fish. It generally swallows its catch underwater. Fieldwork at Clipperton Island showed that masked boobies flew on average to 103 km (64 mi) from their colony, with a maximum range of 242 km (150 mi), while feeding their chicks. They did not rest at sea at night, though part of their return trip
12540-483: The west, and narrowing to 45 m (148 ft ) in the north-east, where sea waves occasionally spill over into the lagoon. Ten islets are present in the lagoon, six of which are covered with vegetation, including the Egg Islands ( les îles aux Œufs ). The closure of the lagoon approximately 170 years ago and prevention of seawater from entering the lagoon has formed a meromictic lake . The bottom of
12654-575: The younger chick almost always perishes within a few days. This has been observed widely across the species' range. Dorward suspected siblicide on Ascension Island. Siblicide has been observed in the Nazca booby on the Galapagos Islands , and is assumed to occur in the masked booby as well. The masked booby is a spectacular diver, plunging vertically or near-vertically from heights of anywhere from 12 to 100 m (40 to 330 ft)—but more commonly 15 to 35 m (50 to 115 ft)—above
12768-526: Was abundant; Durinskia baltica , which was known to exist previously in other locations, but was new to Clipperton; and Peridiniopsis cristata var. tubulifera , which is unique to the island. The lagoon also harbours millions of isopods , which are reported to deliver a painful sting. While some sources have rated the lagoon water as non- potable , testimony from the crew of the tuna clipper M/V Monarch, stranded for 23 days in 1962 after their boat sank, indicates otherwise. Their report reveals that
12882-411: Was appointed governor of Clipperton. At first he was reluctant to accept the post, believing it amounted to exile from Mexico, but he relented after being told that Díaz had personally chosen him to protect Mexico's interests in the international conflict with France. It was also noted that because Arnaud spoke English, French, and Spanish, he would be well equipped to help protect Mexico's sovereignty over
12996-1273: Was at night time for longer expeditions. The masked booby forages with the white-bellied storm petrel ( Fregetta grallaria ) and Bulwer's petrel ( Bulweria bulwerii ) at times. Frigatebirds often harass the species until they disgorge their catch and steal their food. Fish, particularly flying fish , up to 28 cm (11 in) long (rarely up to 41 cm (16 in)) form the bulk of its diet, along with cephalopods . Species eaten include various species of flying fish such as blue flyingfish ( Exocoetus volitans ), mirrorwing flyingfish ( Hirundichthys speculiger ), sailfin flyingfish ( Parexocoetus brachypterus ), glider flyingfish ( Cheilopogon atrisignis ) and Atlantic flyingfish ( Cheilopogon melanurus ), other fish such as yellowtail amberjack ( Seriola lalandi ), skipjack tuna ( Katsuwonus pelamis ), mackerel scad ( Decapterus macarellus ), pompano dolphinfish ( Coryphaena equiselis ), mahi-mahi ( Coryphaena hippurus ), brown chub ( Kyphosus bigibbus ), redbarred hawkfish ( Cirrhitops fasciatus ), snake mackerel ( Gempylus serpens ), frigate tuna ( Auxis thazard ), Pacific saury ( Cololabis saira ), ribbon halfbeak ( Euleptorhamphus viridis ), flat needlefish ( Ablennes hians ) and mullet of
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