Data Zone
Country/territory: High Seas
IBA criteria met: A1, A4ii (2012)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 232,637 ha
Site description (2012 baseline)
This Marine IBA is identified using tracking data. It falls within High Seas International Waters and the Indian Ocean, FAO ocean region. The site covers an area of 2326 km2 and is 475 km away from the closet coastline. The depth ranges from 403 to 2150 m, mean annual sea surface temperature falls between 5.63 and 6.26 °C and mean annual chlorophyll-a concentrations found to range between 0.19 and 0.21 mg/m3.
Key biodiversity
3 species trigger IBA criteria at this Marine IBA. BirdLife analyses of tracking data estimates that 251-710 individuals of Wandering Albatross (VU) from Iles Crozet are present at the site during the Immature (Feb-Oct) and Incubation (Dec-Mar) life-history stages. 555-1023 individuals of Wandering Albatross (VU) from Prince Edward Island are present at the site during the Post-guard (Apr-Dec) life-history stage.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Indian Ocean, Antarctic and Southern 40 - Marine (High Seas). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/indian-ocean-antarctic-and-southern-40--marine-iba-high-seas on 22/11/2024.