One of the **oldest icebergs in the world** seems to have become stranded more than 70 kilometers from a **remote island in Antarctica**.
This could prevent a collision with an important wildlife reproduction area, something that was feared. This was announced on Tuesday by the research group **British Antarctic Survey**.
It is the glacier known as **A23a**, with an area of 3360 square kilometers and a weight close to **1000 million tons**. It was heading north towards Antarctica, towards the island **South Georgia**, since December.
One of the oldest icebergs, stuck
The situation had generated strong fears, as there was also the possibility that it would run aground in shallower waters near the island. Something that could **disrupt the food supply** for penguin and seal pups.
However, scientists reported that, since March 1st, the iceberg has remained stationary **73 kilometers from the island**, according to a statement from the British Antarctic Survey.
“If the iceberg remains stranded, we hope it **does not significantly affect** the local wildlife,” anticipates oceanographer **Andrew Meijers**, in charge of satellite monitoring of the A23.
“In recent decades, the numerous icebergs that followed this route through the Southern Ocean broke apart, **dispersed, and eventually melted rapidly**,” he recounts.
“However, as the iceberg breaks into smaller pieces, fishing operations in the region become more difficult or potentially dangerous,” Meijers notes.
Among the consequences, he also warns that the nutrients brought up by the stranding and melting “could increase the availability of food for the entire regional ecosystem, including penguins and seals.”
How A23 formed
The A23a, **one of the oldest icebergs in the world** and the largest, is twice the size of Greater London and weighs almost a **trillion tons**.
It broke off from the **Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica** in **1986** and then became trapped on the seabed for nearly 30 years.
How icebergs form.
**After breaking free in 2020**, it surprised scientific observers by becoming **trapped in an oceanic vortex**, a phenomenon that keeps objects spinning in place.
In December, the A23a broke free and has since been moving through what ecologists call the “**iceberg alley**,” located between the Antarctic continent and the **Joinville Island group**.
What is the largest iceberg in the world
At the end of 2016, scientists detected a crack in the **Larsen C Ice Shelf**, on the Antarctic Peninsula, which led to the break-off of the **A-68 iceberg** in July 2017.
This iceberg, with more than double the **size of Luxembourg** and 235 meters thick, embarked on a 3 and a half-year odyssey to a remote island in the **Southern Ocean**.
The break-off of the A-68 exposed the seabed, transforming the habitat and creating unique conditions for **marine life**.
During its transient life, the A-68 acted as a frozen lifeboat for various species. Scientists have tracked its impact, revealing how **giant icebergs** influence the surrounding ocean.
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