• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 2015 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	non-breeding	2010-2014	3,000-18,000 individuals	A4i
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor	NT	non-breeding	2010-2014	1,300-14,000 individuals	A1
Denham's Bustard Neotis denhami	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis	LC	resident	2010-2014	100-700 breeding pairs	A4i
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	LC	resident	2010-2014	200-500 breeding pairs	A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	resident	2010-2014	2,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	breeding	2010-2014	170 breeding pairs	A4i
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia	LC	non-breeding	2010-2014	max 850 individuals	A4i
Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius	EN	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus	EN	resident	2010-2014	2 breeding pairs	A1
Southern Banded Snake-eagle Circaetus fasciolatus	NT	resident	2010-2014	common	A1, A3
White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus	CR	resident	2010-2014	6-8 breeding pairs	A1
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Woodwards' Batis Batis fratrum	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Rudd's Apalis Apalis ruddi	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A2, A3
Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Spotted Ground-thrush Geokichla guttata	VU	non-breeding	2010-2014	uncommon	A1
Mouse-coloured Sunbird Cyanomitra verreauxii	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A3
Neergaard's Sunbird Cinnyris neergaardi	NT	resident	2010-2014	common	A1, A2, A3
Pink-throated Twinspot Hypargos margaritatus	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A2, A3
Lemon-breasted Canary Crithagra citrinipectus	LC	resident	2010-2014	common	A2, A3
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	breeding	1998	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding	1998	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2015) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2015. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Shrubland	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Marine Intertidal	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable
Savanna	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Neritic	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Forest	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Biological resource use	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1912	Mkuzi Game Reserve	Nature Reserve	15
1916	St. Lucia Game Park	Nature Reserve	17
1939	St. Lucia Park	Nature Reserve	7
1944	False Bay Park	Nature Reserve	1
1950	Sodwana Bay National Park	Nature Reserve	1
1984	Maphelane Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1986	St Lucia System	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	63
1991	Kosi Bay	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	8
1991	Lake Sibaya	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	3
1992	Coastal Forest Reserve	Nature Reserve	12
1994	Lake Sibayi Fresh Water Reserve	Nature Reserve	3
1999	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Mangrove, Lowland forest - dry deciduous, Lowland forest - riparian, Lowland forest - undifferentiated, Lowland forest - mixed swamp	major (>10)
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Marine Neritic		major (>10)
Savanna	Wooded grassland	major (>10)
Shrubland	Scrub - woodland	major (>10)
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/isimangaliso-wetland-park-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.