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

The site was identified as important 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 List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident	-	20-30 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	non-breeding	-	50-80 individuals	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

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (1998) may differ.

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.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	2	3	breeding pairs	100	favourable
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	30	30	breeding pairs	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable
Savanna	good (> 90%)	moderate (70-90%)	near favourable

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 area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Pollution	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90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1973	Itala Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	100

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Woodland - mixed	-
Grassland	Grassland - secondary	-
Savanna		-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
tourism/recreation	-
agriculture	-

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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 22/11/2024.