Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Fana is one of the four uplifted reef flat islands that comprise the state of Sonsorol in the Southwest Islands. It is a densely vegetated island of 0.35 km2. Fana rises only a few feet above sea level and is susceptible to storms and other natural disasters. Currently the island is uninhabited. There is a small population, generally less than 30 people, who live on nearby Sonsorol island. The population of Sonsorol generally increases slightly during the summer months when people return to their home islands from Koror where they live throughout the remainder of the year.
Fana qualifies as an IBA because of A4, type iii congregations of nesting Black Noddy (ranging from 8,000-20,000 birds) and common White Terns (3,000-10,000 birds). In addition, the total populations of nesting seabirds and waterbirds on Fana have been estimated at between 23,000 and 31,000. These estimates include Black Noddy, Brown Noddy, Greater Frigatebird, Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, and common White Tern. The colonies of Red-footed Booby (5,000-8,000 birds) may be the largest in Micronesia, and among the largest in the world (Kepler 1992).
Non-bird biodiversity: Because of its small size and relative isolation, Fana is a unique ecosystem. The Pisonia forest of Fana has been described as one of the “finest representatives of this dwindling habitat in the Pacific” (Kepler 1992). Water resources are extremely limited. The site is not only important for birds but also for its significant coconut crab population and beaches for nesting green turtles. Very few biological assessments have been conducted at Fana, so little has been documented about other terrestrial biodiversity of the island.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Potential threats to the islands are the presence and introduction of invasive species, over-harvesting, and climate change. Rats have been introduced to Fana only in the past ten years.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Fana is under traditional management and harvesting of resources, especially birds, turtles, and coconut crabs, is prohibited. Distance to and access from the main Palau archipelago is anticipated to be the biggest challenge of conservation planning and management. Human resources are limited in Sonsorol, as most of the residents of the state live most of the time hundreds of miles away in Koror, where there are schools, jobs and health care. In addition, supplies must be shipped to the islands from Koror. Thus, many resource management activities must be coordinated from the main archipelago of Palau where the majority of people from Sonsorol reside.
There is overwhelming support from traditional leadership and the state government that the entire island be protected and managed to conserve this small, delicate ecosystem. In 2007, the traditional leaders and state government officially recognized Fana as Palau’s first IBA.
Site access / Land-owner requests
Like all of the Southwest Islands, access to Fana from the main islands of Palau is by the service of the Hatohobei State boat. The boat trip to Fana and Sonsorol takes about 24 hours on the state boat, which travels at about 6 knots. There is no deep water channel for deep boats or anchorage at Sonsorol or Fana, so small punts must meet the state boat as it waits outside the fringing reef in order to ferry passengers and supplies to and from the island. This can only occur during the day when the tide is high enough for passage of the punts.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Fana Island (Palau). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/fana-island-iba-palau on 23/12/2024.
