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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 1998

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding	-	3,791-8,724 individuals	A4i
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	EN	resident	-	frequent	A1
Cape Gannet Morus capensis	EN	resident	-	20,200 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Cape Gannet Morus capensis	EN	non-breeding	-	40,000-50,000 individuals	A1, A4ii
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	resident	-	500-600 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	non-breeding	-	1,000-1,200 individuals	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	resident	-	4,000-10,000 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	non-breeding	-	12,000-32,000 individuals	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	resident	-	220-300 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	non-breeding	-	500-600 individuals	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	resident	-	150-170 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	non-breeding	-	528-607 individuals	A1, A4i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding	-	127-307 individuals	A4i
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola	LC	winter	-	3,643-8,228 individuals	A4i
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius	LC	non-breeding	-	1,000-2,000 individuals	A4i
White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus	LC	non-breeding	-	2,000-4,000 individuals	A4i
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres	LC	winter	-	1,963-4,587 individuals	A4i
Red Knot Calidris canutus	NT	winter	-	2,504-6,219 individuals	A4i
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	NT	winter	-	17,940-25,347 individuals	A4i
Sanderling Calidris alba	LC	winter	-	1,229-2,643 individuals	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	breeding	-	2,000-3,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	non-breeding	-	5,000-7,000 individuals	A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus	LC	breeding	-	500-3,347 breeding pairs	A4i
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus	LC	non-breeding	-	1,407-8,000 individuals	A4i
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	winter	-	1,299-9,658 individuals	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	breeding	-	50-4,070 breeding pairs	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	non-breeding	-	203-9,000 individuals	A4i
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident	-	present	A1
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	resident	-	50,000-99,999 individuals	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding	-	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat Level 1	Threat Level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	marine and freshwater aquaculture - industrial aquaculture	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	drought	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	air-borne pollutants - smog	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	domestic & urban waste water - sewage	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	excess energy - light pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	excess energy - noise pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	industrial & military effluents - type unknown/unrecorded	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	shipping lanes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	utility & service lines	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Condition of habitat (state)
Habitat	Habitat Detail	Reference Area (ha)	Actual Area (ha)	% of habitat remaining	% of carrying capacity (overall)	Result
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	Salt marshes	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Phoenicopterus roseus	Greater Flamingo	8724	7183	individuals	83	near favourable
Spheniscus demersus	African Penguin	1600	456	breeding pairs	29	very unfavourable
Morus capensis	Cape Gannet	50000	30000	individuals	60	unfavourable
Microcarbo coronatus	Crowned Cormorant	1200	308	individuals	26	very unfavourable
Phalacrocorax capensis	Cape Cormorant	32000	848	individuals	3	very unfavourable
Phalacrocorax neglectus	Bank Cormorant	300	62	breeding pairs	21	very unfavourable
Haematopus moquini	African Oystercatcher	607	137	individuals	23	very unfavourable
Recurvirostra avosetta	Pied Avocet	307	249	individuals	82	near favourable
Pluvialis squatarola	Grey Plover	8228	6432	individuals	79	near favourable
Charadrius pecuarius	Kittlitz's Plover	2000	348	individuals	18	very unfavourable
Calidris canutus	Red Knot	6219	2521	individuals	41	unfavourable
Calidris ferruginea	Curlew Sandpiper	25347	24951	individuals	99	favourable
Calidris alba	Sanderling	2643	7441	individuals	100	favourable
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	9658	2026	individuals	21	very unfavourable
Circus maurus	Black Harrier	30	7	individuals	24	very unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
West Coast National Park	National Park	3,656,626	protected area overlaps with site	32,494
Sixteen Mile Beach Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	10,691	protected area is adjacent to site	0
Postberg Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	2,453	protected area contained by site	0
Marcus Island Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	25	protected area overlaps with site	0
Malgas Island Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	66	protected area overlaps with site	0
Langebaan Nature Area	Nature Reserve	5,143	protected area overlaps with site	0
Langebaan Lagoon Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	4,672	protected area overlaps with site	0
Langebaan	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	5,588	protected area overlaps with site	6,000
Jutten Island Marine Protected Area	Marine Protected Area	111	protected area overlaps with site	0
Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	386,161	protected area contains site	27,600

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture	-
other	-
nature conservation and research	-

For further information about the land use classification please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Areas factsheet: West Coast National Park and Saldanha Bay islands. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 28/03/2023.