Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1998 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South African Shelduck Tadorna cana | LC | non-breeding (-) | 229–787 birds | A4i |
| Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma | LC | non-breeding (-) | 326–1,132 birds | A4i |
| Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii | LC | non-breeding (-) | 172–404 birds | A4i |
| Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus | LC | non-breeding (-) | 62–152 birds | A4i |
| Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis | LC | non-breeding (-) | 68–1,100 birds | A4i |
| Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata | LC | non-breeding (-) | 18,283–36,000 birds | A4i |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | n/a | non-breeding (-) | 20,000-49,999 birds | A4iii |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2013 | poor | high | medium |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | - | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| South African Shelduck Tadorna cana | 11 / 787 (birds) | 2 | very poor | ||
| Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma | 50 / 1,132 (birds) | 5 | very poor | ||
| Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata | 2,500 / 1,443 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus | 341 / 152 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis | 201 / 1,100 (birds) | 19 | very poor | ||
| Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus | 2,890 / 1,197 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata | 18,000 / 36,000 (birds) | 50 | poor | ||
| African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini | 102 / 9 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea | 647 / 4,014 (birds) | 17 | very poor | ||
| Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii | 954 / 193 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia | 296 / 41 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| African Marsh-harrier Circus ranivorus | 10 / 4 (birds) | 100 | good | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Shrubland | moderate (70–90%) | moderate (70–90%) | poor |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Pollution | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Transportation and service corridors | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Some of area covered (10–49%) | A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species | Substantive conservation measures are being implemented, but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity | medium |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | 11 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 4 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Neritic | major (>10) | |
| Shrubland | major (>10) | Shrubland - Cape (fynbos) |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| agriculture | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Cape Whale Coast (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/cape-whale-coast-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.