The world's largest and oldest iceberg, which is twice as large as Greater London, is equipped near the island of South Georgia.
The almost one-break-ton block of ice cream, known as A23A, has come to rest on the continental plank of the British overseas area in the South Atlantic Ocean, which is home to elephant and fur seals, king penguins and unique birds.
The 'Megaberg' came from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 and then remained grounded on the floor of the Weddellzee for more than 30 years, said the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
Since 2020 it drove with South Ocean flows to South Georgia, and with warmer waters and the action of waves and tides is expected to break up in smaller icebergs and finally melts.
Fishing vessels can be 'potentially dangerous' circumstances confronted by the smaller icebergs in the region, but scientists said that nutrients that were fueled by the earthing and melting of the Megaberg can stimulate food for the region, including local penguins and seals.
The British Antarctic Survey said that it is keeping a close eye on the iceberg and has followed its progress since 2020, and especially since 2023 when it went from the Weddell Sea to the wider South Atlantic Ocean.
At the end of last year, the iceberg was stuck in a 'Taylor column' so that it turned in one place.
Displayed: an aerial photo of the world's largest and oldest iceberg, known as A23A
The Megaberg recently broke apart from its position north of the South Ororkney Islands and started floating in the southern ocean
A23A is a 'Megaberg' that has measured approximately 1,540 square miles at its peak – twice as large as Greater London
It is now grounded on the Continental Plank about 56 miles (90 km) from Zuid -Georgia with its nearest point about 45 miles (73 km) of the country, and has not been moved since 1 March, De Bas said.
Dr. Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, said: 'If the iceberg remains based, we do not expect it to significantly influence the local animals in southern South Georgia.
'In recent decades, the many icebergs that break this route through the southern ocean quickly break apart, spread and melt.
“However, commercial fishing are disturbed in the past, and while the mountain breaks into smaller pieces, this can make fishing activities in the area both more difficult and potentially dangerous.”
He said that scientists would like to see how the iceberg will influence the local ecosystem.
“Nutrients that are fueled by the earth and the melt can increase the availability of food for the entire regional ecosystem, including for charismatic penguins and seals,” he said.
He said that satellite tracking shows that the iceberg seems to retain its structure and has not yet been divided into smaller chunks such as previous 'Megabergs'.
Depicted: a satellite image of A23A, the 'Megaberg', which is twice as large as Greater London
The iceberg originally calved from Antarctica's filniger Ice Plank in 1986. It then remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea, before he started his slow trip to the north in 2020
Shown: the RRS Sir David Attenborough – the research vessel that the public voted famous to call Boaty McBoatface
The icebergs of this size are 'relatively rare', Dr. Meijers, saying that it had been almost a whole day for the RRS Sir David Attenborough – the research ship that the public voted famous to call Boaty McBaatface – to sail on a research trip in 2023.
“It looks like a towering wall that comes from the ocean that extends from horizon to horizon,” he said.
While icebergs, including megabergs such as A23A, are a completely normal part of the life cycle of the Antarctic ice sheets, caused by people driven climate change and loss of mass of the iceboards, he added.
