Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
Kabalebo/Arapahu IBA is situated in between CSNR and the Corantijn river, the border with Guyana. Almost the whole watershed of the Kabalebo river is in the IBA. It is covered with pristine rainforest on terra firma, swamp and liana forest. In the north-west there is fishing and hunting by local indiginous people from Apoera. There is ecotourism near the Kabalebo airstrip and on Arapahu, an island in the south-west corner of the IBA. It is important for the Green Ibis. There has been done very little scientific research.
Two near-threathened species occur in the IBA, Morphnus guianensis Crested Eagle, and Harpia harpyja Harpy Eagle. The total number of species is 500 of which 27 are biome restricted. The total number of species is so low because there has been done very little research. The population of Green Ibises has been estimated at more than 4000, this is more than 5 times the 1% threshold. Hence it is an IBA on A1, A4i and A3 criteria.
Non-bird biodiversity: Not known.
Tourism on the rivers and in the forest near Kabalebo airstrip and near Arapahu. In the North-west of the IBA is fishing and hunting by the Indiginous people from Apoera.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
There are plans to make a hydro electrical lake in the Kabalebo water basement. This will distroy a large area of the IBA and would be a threat for the Mesembrinibis cayenensis, Green ibis. But the plans are very uncertain.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
No research or conservation project. Noteworthy is the marking of sport fish.
Has no protected status.
Owned by state. In the north-western part Indigenous people from Apura have traditional hunting and fishing rights. Kabalebo Airstrip is leased by tour operator, Arapahu island in the south-west is leased by tour operator.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kabalebo / Arapahu (Suriname). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kabalebo--arapahu-iba-suriname on 22/11/2024.
