Current view: Text account
Site description (2010 baseline):
Site location and context
This site covers the inland craters of Atua district on the eastern end of Upolu. The site includes the Afulilo Reservoir which was cleared for the hydro-electric dam. The site stretches from the Aleipata district where craters of Lanomoa and Luaofafine are located, to the inland craters adjacent to the Afulilo HEP dam.
The site has been surveyed on at least 3 occasions. All surveys identified high densities of pigeons and doves, including Tooth-billed Pigeon. Ma'o is also present while good numbers of both Samoan Flycatcher and Samoan Triller have been recorded on the site.
Vegetation ranges from lowland to montane forest. Other ecosystems include crater lakes, mixed upland swamp forest and the Mulivaifagatoloa watershed. Some areas have been cleared for farming, while the dam flooded a number of other previously important sites. In addition cyclone damage is evident, the disturbed forest is dominated by Merremia.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Key threats are land clearance for livestock farming, agricultural development and the potential expansion of the hydro-electic dam into Vaipu swamp.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The site is threatened by land clearance and also, potentially, expansion of the hydro electric dam. Also natural threats sucha as cyclones have impacted in previous years. There is currently no conservation program for this site.
Most of the site is under customary ownership, belonging to 4 different districts of Lotofaga, Lepa, Aleipata and Fagaloa.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Eastern Upolu Craters (Samoa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/eastern-upolu-craters-iba-samoa on 22/11/2024.
