Data Zone
Country/territory: Madagascar
IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A3 (1999)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 12,613 hectares (126.13 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2017 | moderate | medium | high |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
This site, also called Cape Vohimena, is located 60 km south-west of Tsihombe. It is the southernmost headland in Madagascar, lying on a calcareous plateau. Soils are sandy. Steep cliffs delimit the southern and western boundaries of the site. There are no permanent watercourses in the area, only small, temporary streams that flow to the sea following rare heavy rain. Wind-stunted xerophilous bushland (up to 1.2 m) covers c.90% of the site. The most common woody species are Commiphora and Salvadora, with local species of Aloe and Megistostegium also present.
Key biodiversity
See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Thirty-six species are known from this site, of which 18 are endemic to Madagascar. There is a large population of Coua verreauxi at the site.
Non-bird biodiversity: Reptile: Geochelone radiata (VU); a very large population occurs in the reserve.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cape Sainte Marie Special Reserve and extension (Madagascar). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cape-sainte-marie-special-reserve-and-extension-iba-madagascar on 23/12/2024.