Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus | VU | resident (-) | present | A1 |
| Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus | NT | resident (-) | 20–30 pairs | A1, A4i |
| Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus | NT | non-breeding (-) | 50–80 birds | A1, A4i |
| Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Gorgeous Bushshrike Telophorus viridis | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Black-bellied Starling Notopholia corusca | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2013 | moderate | high | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus | 3 / 2 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus | 30 / 30 (pairs) | 100 | good | ||
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Grassland | good (>90%) | moderate (70–90%) | moderate |
| Savanna | good (>90%) | moderate (70–90%) | moderate |
| 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 |
| Natural system modifications | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Climate change and severe weather | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation | A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not comprehensive | The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented | high |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | - | Woodland - mixed |
| Grassland | - | Grassland - secondary |
| Savanna | - |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100 |
| tourism/recreation | - |
| agriculture | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ithala Game Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ithala-game-reserve-iba-south-africa on 22/12/2024.