This issue of two AAT (Australian Antarctic Territory) stamps is part of a world wide initiative involving more than 30 national postal administrations highlighting the importance of the Earth's poles and glaciers and how global warming may affect them.
The 55 cent stamp features a snow petrel – a bird that breeds on the Antarctic continent and inhabits pack-ice, icebergs and icefloes. The snow petrel has been chosen as an indicator of the health of the planet. If their food is either diminished, or disappears, because of global warming, their numbers will be jeopardised.
The $2.05 stamp features a jade iceberg highlighting the unique beauty and elemental nature of Antarctica. As part of this stamp issue, a special ice crystal logo has been designed by Saku Heinanen of Finland and will appear on the stamps of participating countries.
