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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
Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Corncrake Crex crex	LC	winter	-	present	A1
Wattled Crane Bugeranus carunculatus	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Blue Crane Anthropoides paradiseus	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Black Stork Ciconia nigra	LC	breeding	-	10-15 breeding pairs	A4i
Black Stork Ciconia nigra	LC	non-breeding	-	35-70 individuals	A4i
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident	1998	60-100 breeding pairs	A1, A3, A4i
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	non-breeding	-	200-400 individuals	A1, A4i
Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	resident	-	200-230 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	non-breeding	-	1,000-1,325 individuals	A1, A4ii
Black Harrier Circus maurus	EN	resident	-	present	A1
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident	-	present	A1
Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Olive Bushshrike Chlorophoneus olivaceus	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Drakensberg Rockjumper Chaetops aurantius	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Bush Blackcap Sylvia nigricapillus	VU	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Mountain Pipit Anthus hoeschi	NT	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Yellow-breasted Pipit Hemimacronyx chloris	VU	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Forest Canary Crithagra scotops	LC	resident	1998	present	A3
Drakensberg Siskin Crithagra symonsi	LC	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, 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 (2014) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable
Grassland	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Shrubland	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	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	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
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Biological resource use	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	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	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1903	Giant's Castle Game Reserve	Nature Reserve	16
1903	Natal Drakensberg	National Park	100
1943	Natal National Park	Nature Reserve	3
1950	Rugged Glen Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1951	Kamberg Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1
1953	Loteni Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	2
1967	Vergelegen Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1973	Upper Mkhomazi Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	21
1973	Mdedelelo Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	11
1979	Mzimkulu Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	12
1989	Kwa-Mehlenyati Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	3
1989	Mkhomazi Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	3
1989	Impofana Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	3
1989	Mlambonja Wilderness Area	Forest Wilderness Area	3
1989	Hlathikulu Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1989	Mafifiyela Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	1
1997	uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	100
2000	Maloti-Drakensberg Park	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	100
2013	Nelsberg Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	-

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - undifferentiated	-
Grassland	Grassland - montane, Grassland - secondary	-
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	Inselbergs, kopjes & inland cliffs	-
Shrubland	Scrub - woodland	-
Wetlands (inland)	Montane bogs, swamps and mires	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	3
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Maloti Drakensberg Park (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/maloti-drakensberg-park-iba-south-africa on 22/11/2024.