Warrah River
| Warrah River | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Falkland Islands |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 51°15′47″S 59°22′23″W / 51.263°S 59.373°W[1] |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 51°26′28″S 59°37′41″W / 51.441°S 59.628°W |
| Length | 28.9 kilometres (18 mi) |
Warrah River is the longest watercourse on West Falkland as it flows for 28.9 kilometres (18 mi).[2] the river empties northwards into Keppel Sound, and Wheeler notes that for such a short river, it can be surprisingly wide.[3] It is named after the Falkland Islands wolf (Dusicyon australis, formerly Canis antarcticus) or "warrah".[4] The last warrah was shot on this island in 1876.[5]
It rises on the northern slopes of Mount Maria and Mount Robinson[2] and has several tributaries, such as Walker Stream which is named after Guardsman Andrew Walker who died in the Sir Galahad bombing in the Falklands War.[6] The naming was a project commissioned in 2022 as part of the 40th anniversary commemorations where over 250 landforms were identified and named after those who had died in the conflict.[7][8][9] In its lower reaches, the river flows through a plain. It was here in 1839 that eleven bulls and 55 cows were released to be wild cattle. In 1857, it was reported that the cattle numbered 2,000–3,000.[10]
It is fairly popular for fishing, and is only 12 miles (19 km) west of Port Howard.[11] It has one main tributary, Green Hills/Green Hill Stream.[12] The river is noted for its brown trout, and is popular for fishing.[13] Stocks have been replenished with live fish reared in Surrey, England.[14] The brown trout is an introduced species into this river, which precipitated the loss of two natural fish in the Warrah River; the zebra trout (in part of the river) and a locally-named minnow (galaxias maculatos).[15] Sea trout have also been caught from the river.[16][17]
References
- ↑ Greenway, Mary E (1972). "The Geology of the Falkland Islands" (PDF). British Antarctic Survey. p. 64. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Rivers/streams West Falkland". falklands-southatlantic.com. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Wheeler, Tony (2004). The Falklands & South Georgia Island. London: Lonely Planet. p. 164. ISBN 1740596439.
- ↑ Crowe, Philip Kingsland (1970). Out of the Mainstream. New York: Charles Scribner's & Sons. p. 104. OCLC 93862.
- ↑ Stone, Phil (2010). "DNA proves the Warrah was a wolf - and go to the Falklands unaided" (PDF). nora.nerc.ac.uk. p. 1. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "2023 GOR IP WalkerA – South Atlantic Medal Association (82)". sama82.org.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "Falkland Island landmarks named after 238 fallen in 1982". hmsardent.org. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "Freedom of the Falkland Islands". assembly.gov.fk. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "Falklands map with the names of British fallen during the 1982 Liberation of the Islands". MercoPress. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ Strange, Ian J. (1983) [1972]. The Falkland Islands (3 ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 25, 105. ISBN 0715385313.
- ↑ Where to fish 2008-2009 (91 ed.). Beaminster: Thomas Harmsworth. 2008. p. 513. ISBN 0948807628.
- ↑ "Warrah River - Things to Do in the Falkland Islands". www.falklandislands.com. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ↑ Wheeler, Tony (2004). The Falklands & South Georgia Island. London: Lonely Planet. p. 117. ISBN 1740596439.
- ↑ Minett, Jessica (2022). Brown trout in the Falkland Islands: invasion ecology, population structure and genetic diversity (Thesis). Swansea: University of Swansea. p. 55. OCLC 1314340359.
- ↑ Strange, Ian J. (1987). The Falkland Islands and their natural history. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 124. ISBN 0715388339.
- ↑ "Anglers head south for new challenges". Navy News. Portsmouth: Royal Navy: 43. May 2002. ISSN 0028-1670.
- ↑ Morrison, Paul (1990). The Falkland Islands. Bourne End: Aston Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 0946627657.