Hallig Habel

Habel
Halligen Gröde (left) and Habel (center) on a satellite image
Map
Geography
Coordinates54°38′14″N 8°46′00″E / 54.63722°N 8.76667°E / 54.63722; 8.76667
ArchipelagoNorth Frisian Islands
Area0.074 km2 (0.029 sq mi)
Length655 m (2149 ft)
Width100 m (300 ft)
Administration
Germany
StateSchleswig-Holstein
DistrictNordfriesland
MunicipalityGröde
Additional information
protected

Hallig Habel (Danish: Habel, North Frisian: Haabel) is the smallest Hallig in the German Wadden Sea, and is a bird sanctuary. It is administered by the Gröde municipality on the neighbouring island. The surface area of Habel measures 7.4 hectares[1] with about 655 metres in length, and 100 metres width.

On this island there is an artificial dwelling hill called Norderwarft with a house that hosts an ornithological observatory during the summertime.[1] A second hill on the southern shore, Süderwarft, was abandoned in the 19th century and was then destroyed by the sea.

Habel is located in Protection Area 1 of the Schleswig Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. The common public must therefore not enter the island.[2] The island is owned by the state of Schleswig-Holstein and is leased by Verein Jordsand, a non-profit association for environmental protection with its seat in Ahrensburg.[1] Habel serves as breeding and resting grounds for many species of marine birds like the brant goose[2] and the Arctic tern.

  1. ^ a b c "Hallig Habel" (in German). Verein Jordsand e. V. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Hallig Habel". Biosphäre die Halligen (in German). Retrieved 21 December 2011.