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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
Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum	EN	resident	2010-2014	8 breeding pairs	A1
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum	EN	non-breeding	2010-2014	60-80 individuals	A1
Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus	VU	resident	2010-2014	9 breeding pairs	A1
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	2010-2014	6 breeding pairs	A1
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A2, A3
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A1
Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus	NT	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Olive Bushshrike Chlorophoneus olivaceus	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Bush Blackcap Sylvia nigricapillus	VU	resident	2010-2014	present	A1, A2, A3
Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi	LC	resident	2010-2014	min 10 breeding pairs	A3
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A2, A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A3
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops	LC	resident	2010-2014	present	A2, A3

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
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Grassland	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	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
Climate change and severe weather	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Some of site covered (10-49%)	No management planning has taken place	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1980	Karkloof Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	12
1988	Blinkwater	Provincial Nature Reserve	-
2010	Mt Gilboa Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	3
2011	Mbona Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	2

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - mixed	-
Grassland	Grassland - montane	-
Wetlands (inland)	Montane bogs, swamps and mires	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Karkloof (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/karkloof-iba-south-africa on 22/11/2024.