August 26, 2026, 10:03 am | Read time: 5 minutes

ASPA No. 180. Behind this designation lies a project in which Germany has been engaged in environmental protection since June 2024. But not in the Federal Republic itself, rather at the other end of the world, in Antarctica. Specifically, on the 4.5-square-kilometer archipelago of the Danger Islands and its seven islands. Visited by only a few people so far, they are home to the world’s largest colony of Adélie penguins and have now been designated as a German protected area under the Antarctic Treaty. In November 2025, the Federal Republic, or a selected team of researchers, was indeed on site.

ASPA, in plain terms according to the Federal Environment Agency involved in the project, stands for Antarctic Specially Protected Area. Translated, it means “specially protected Antarctic area.” The Danger Islands are located at the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The Otto-von-Gruber Mountains in Queen Maud Land in East Antarctica were also in the final selection for the first German protected area. In collaboration with the U.S., the final proposal was submitted and accepted at the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.

Germany has been involved since 1979

The original Antarctic Treaty was signed by the first twelve countries in 1959 and came into force in 1961. It includes, among other things, the total renunciation of territorial claims in Antarctica by member states. It also prohibits military activities and promotes scientific cooperation among members. Germany has been active in the association since 1979 and has had decision-making rights as a consultative member since 1981. Since 1988, the so-called “Madrid Protocol” has also protected Antarctica and thus the Danger Islands. Politically, however, they have always been controversial, according to ZDF.

Fritz Hertel, an ecologist and member of the Polar Team at the Federal Environment Agency, explains Germany’s ambitions to TRAVELBOOK: “Our status not only brings rights but also obligations. Our community wants to build an entire network of protected zones. Currently, we have 76 of these areas across Antarctica.” Regarding investments on the continent, Germany ranks about fifth among the 58 treaty states today. The plan for the Danger Islands has been in the works since 2016, overcoming “numerous formal hurdles.”

Also interesting: Amundsen vs. Scott: The deadly race to the South Pole

Regular expeditions

The high diversity of bird species breeding on the Danger Islands is a key argument for Germany’s engagement in Antarctica. A total of ten species find a temporary home there. Notably, the world’s largest colony of Adélie penguins, which, according to a recent count, numbers more than one million animals. The aim is to monitor them long-term, map breeding sites and vegetation using drones, and examine the seabirds for diseases. However, the German protected area currently only includes the islands themselves, not the sea in between. “Every five years, we must revise and, if necessary, adapt our management plans,” Hertel explains.

Germany has taken on not only the protection but also the responsibility for managing the area. Regular on-site inspections are planned to ensure the task can be fulfilled. According to the Federal Environment Agency, “To detect changes on site, it is necessary to visit the area regularly.” Indeed, a first expedition to the Danger Islands took place in November 2025, involving bird experts, geologists, and ecologists. The team set sail on the “Malizia Explorer” under the well-known skipper Boris Herrmann.

More on the topic

Fodor’s No List Famous Travel Guide Advises Against These Destinations in 2026

In the middle of the Atlantic This Is the Loneliest Island in the World

Crowning a life’s work

Hertel, who has been to Antarctica many times, fondly recalls the journey. “We were on the road for a total of three weeks from Ushuaia, Argentina, in Tierra del Fuego. Unexpectedly strong ice formation of up to 100 percent repeatedly challenged us, and we sometimes had to wait out storms that regularly occur in this region. Standing on the islands, which I had only known from theory all these years, was overwhelming.” Laughing, he adds, “The countless penguins also contribute to the smell caused by bird guano.” Ultimately, the visit was a confirmation of having done everything right, the crowning of a “life’s work.” Hertel has been working in polar research for more than 20 years.

Also interesting: Deception Island: The unusual history of this Antarctic island

Germany’s long-term goal is to also protect the waters around the Danger Islands. According to Hertel, they need to be protected from fishing. However, further research is needed before this can happen. The Federal Republic is also considering taking on a second protected area, namely the previously mentioned Otto-von-Gruber Mountains with peaks up to 2,800 meters high. A unique, nearly extinct bacterial life form up to 3.5 billion years old is found here. Additionally, one of the largest known colonies of the snow petrel lives there. The proposal is to be submitted at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in 2027. The next expedition to the Danger Islands is also planned for 2027.

Where does the name come from?

But where do the Danger Islands, literally translated as the Islands of Danger, get their name? Well, they were named in 1842 by a British expedition led by the legendary Captain James Clark Ross, whose ship nearly ran aground on one of the islands. Today, according to the Alfred Wegener Institute, the islands must be “comprehensively protected from negative influences of human activities.” This also refers to the increasing tourism in the region. Additionally, climate change is more pronounced on the Antarctic Peninsula than on the rest of the continent. Therefore, the Danger Islands can only be accessed with a special permit for research and management purposes.