Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2014 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus | VU | resident (-) | present | A1 |
| Black Stilt Himantopus novaezelandiae | CR | resident (1979–1992) | 6–17 birds | A1, A4i |
| Wrybill Anarhynchus frontalis | VU | breeding (1979–1992) | 41–138 pairs | A1, A4i |
| Black-billed Gull Larus bulleri | NT | breeding (1970–1995) | 26–81 pairs | A1 |
| Black-fronted Tern Chlidonias albostriatus | EN | breeding (1979–1993) | 70–224 pairs | A1, A4i |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2014. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | not assessed | high | not assessed |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| no | unset | - | |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Not assessed | Not assessed | Not assessed | not assessed |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | National Park (II) | 8 |
| 1957 | Lake Alexandrina Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife Refuge (IV) | 7 |
| 1986 | Lake Alexandrina | Scenic Reserve (III) | <1 |
| 1987 | Lake Alexandrina | Stewardship Area (III) | 2 |
| 1987 | Sibbalds Island | Stewardship Area (III) | <1 |
| 1987 | Godley Riverbed | Stewardship Area (III) | 1 |
| 1988 | Cass River Delta | Stewardship Area (III) | <1 |
| 1988 | Micks Lagoon | Stewardship Area (III) | <1 |
| 1990 | Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 3 |
| 1999 | Godley Macaulay | Stewardship Area (III) | <1 |
| 1999 | Lake Alexandrina | Scenic Reserve (III) | 2 |
| 2016 | The Island | Stewardship Area (III) | 4 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | major (>10) | |
| Introduced vegetation | major (>10) | |
| Shrubland | major (>10) | |
| Wetlands (inland) | major (>10) |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Godley Cass Rivers (New Zealand). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/godley-cass-rivers-iba-new-zealand on 23/12/2024.