Current view: Text account
Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
Coquillage - Point Est is a coastal system that includes limestone cliffs, inaccessible coastal limestone, beach of white sand, coral reefs and mangroves. Located on the southeastern part of the island of la Tortue (180 km2). Limited north by the slopes of of Morne Ti Clos (154m), south by the Canal of La Tortue, west by Grand Sable and east by Pointe Est, where meet both the Atlantic Ocean and the Canal de la Tortue.
The locality of Coquillage is densely populated and counts a guesthouse. This coastal system is exploited by fishermen, boat builders (an interesting industry there) and farmers. In many cases, one person (men usually) can play the three roles, fish, build or own boats and farm. Many houses are well built and different from the traditional thatch roof houses, due to Tortugans immigration in Turks and Caicos and in the Bahamas. Riding by boat from the main port to other locality is easier than on land or on foot and there is regular boat traffic from Port Vincent to Basse Terre and Coquillage. Population estimates are uncertain (probably 4,000 inhabitants), but people of the area live of fisheries (marine), agriculture, wood cutting and lumber, charcoal making, boat rides and boat building, careening renting and ecotourism.
Its avifauna includes more than 40 species with 3 unique forms: Flat-billed Vireo (
Vireo crassirostris tortugae), (Coereba bananivora nectarea), (Loxigilla violacea maurella) not found on the main land. It is an important area for migratory species including transiting species and Tropicbirds.
Non-bird biodiversity: Endemic subspecies do Île de la Tortue Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris tortugae); Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola nectarea); Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla violacea maurella). Marine migratory species need to be inventoried; this includes species of the wetlands/mangrove.
Although the island of La Tortue shelters more than 200 species of plants, vegetation differs from east to west, north to south due to different edaphic (soil and climate) conditions. In this proposed IBA, vegetation changes with the landscape. On the more coastal zones, mangrove areas shelters the four types of mangrove [Red (
Rhizophora mangle), White (
Laguncularia racemosa), Black (
Avicennia germinans) and Buttonwood (
Conocarpus erectus),
Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae), lagoons and brackish water swamps show wetland vegetation. In the rugged limestone zones vegetation is xerophytes due to the rapid percolation of water. On the white sand beaches, portia trees (
Thespesia populnea), coconut trees and cocoplum (
Chrysobalanus icaco) bring shade, colors and fruits.
Endemic plants include:
Acrocomia aculeata (Palmae), Fagara pterota (Rutaceae), Tillandsia sublaxa (Bromeliaceae), Chrysobalanus icaco (Rosaceae), Thouinia racemosa (Sapindaceae), , Guettarda turpinii (Rubiaceae), Smilax sp. (Liliaceae); Wedelia gracilis (Compositae), Setaria tenax (Gramineae), Wedelia jacquini (Compositae), Solanum ciliatum (Solanaceae), Paspalum ciliatifolium (Gramineae), Cenchrus pauciflorus (Gramineae), Xylosma coriaceum (Flacourtiaceae), Phyllanthus nobilis (Euphorbiaceae), Passiflora cuprea (Passifloraceae), Baccharis dioeca (Compositae), Scaevola plumierii (Goodeniaceae), Guettarda tortuensis (Rubiaceae), Acanthospermum hispidum (Compositae) Jussiaea erecta (Oenotheraceae), Pera glomerata (Euphorbiaceae), Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae), Setaria setosa var. paractenioides (Gramineae), Hyperbaena glauciramis (Menispermaceae), Caesalpinia secundiflora (Leguminoseae), Nephrolepis biseirata (Polypodiaceae), Myrtus bahamensis (Myrtaceae), Bunchosia lucida (Malpighiaceae). A number of plants had been introduced such as
Coleus amboinicus (Labiateae), plantains and bananas, coconuts, corn etc.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Habitat destruction, introduced animals,conversion to agriculture, fuelwood extraction, Elimination of bird species, demography, fishing practices, pollutant load, nutrient load, recreational activities, sedimentation and erosion.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
In the search for mammals of Hispaniola, in 1985, Charles Woods and Associates (William Oliver, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust; Rose Paul and Sandy Whidden University of Vermont, Florence Sergile, Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, made inventories for birds and mammals.
In 1985, bird and bat monitoring was carried by Charles Woods, University of Florida and John Hermanson, Emory University.
In 1988, a group of professional at the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, concerned by the degradation of the environment produced an official declaration listing 70 sq km on the island of La Tortue to be protected areas.
Between 1994 and 1996, the Ministry of Tourism selected a number of sites for their natural environment under the direction of Maryse Penete Kedar, Minister of Tourism; Danielle St. Lot, Head of Cabinet.
In 1997, Route 2004 undertook studies of historical monuments to be protected in their natural environment. Project direction included Gisèle Hyvert (Deceased), Harold Gaspard (actual Minister for Culture) and a team of architects, anthropologist and other consultants: Rachel Beauvoir, Eddy Lubin,
Due to the particularity of fauna and flora of Tortue Island, high potential for ecotourism and historical sites protections in their natural environment, ECMU (Environmental Coordination and Monitoring Unit) of the United Nations Development Program financed a rapid assessment on the environment.
Protected area is only proposed.
Florence Sergile, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Coquillage - Pointe Est (Haiti). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/coquillage--pointe-est-iba-haiti on 23/12/2024.
