Penguin Island lies off the east coast of King George Island in the South Shetlands. It was named by Britain´s Edward Bransfield for the penguins that were seen there during his expedition in 1820. The 1.6 km (1 mi) long island is dominated by Deacon Peak, a relatively fresh volcanic cone, which rises to 170 m (560 ft). Penguin Island is home to about 7500 breeding pairs of Chinstrap penguins as well as a large number of Southern giant petrels, Antarctic terns, skuas and Kelp gulls. Antarctica’s only two flowering plants, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, can also be found here.