| Maher Island | |
| Map: | Antarctica |
| Location: | Antarctica |
| Length Km: | 1 |
| Population: | Uninhabited |
| Treaty System: | Antarctic Treaty System |
Maher Island is a small horseshoe-shaped island lying 10km (10miles) north of the north-western end of Siple Island, off the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. It is one of the three pieces of land closest to the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, also known as 'Point Nemo', the other two being Ducie Island, one of the Pitcairn Islands, and Motu Nui near Easter Island.[1] [2] It has numerous areas of exposed rock and is mostly ice-free in summer.
It was discovered and photographed from aircraft of U.S. Navy Operation Highjump, 1946–47, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Commander Eugene Maher, U.S. Navy, commanding officer of during Operation Deep Freeze, 1955–56.
A 51 ha site, comprising the whole of the island, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports about 10,000 breeding pairs of Adélie penguins, as estimated by 2011 satellite imagery.[3]