Current view: Text account
Site description (2012 baseline):
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Climate change is listed as the third greatest threat to seabirds globally (Croxall et al. 2012). It is predicted to decrease the land area of low-lying Pacific islands and cause complete inundation of some islands (IPCC 1997) leading to substantial population declines (Hatfield et al. 2012). Although no current data or predictions are available specific to this IBA climate change represents a potential threat to this site owing to the risk of future sea level rise leading to inundation, and increased frequency of storms.
The Island of Namenalala is privately owned and has a tourist destination built adjacent to one of the beaches (BirdLife International, 2009). Tourists are encouraged to walk the island and enjoy the wildlife. Limited future development to expand the tourist capacity could potentially happen, however it is currently run as an exclusive resort with limited capacity. The impact that the tourists activities have on the bird populations is unknown and could potentially be a threat if people disturb nesting birds.
Invasive Alien Species represent the greatest threat to seabirds globally (Croxall et al. 2012), causing adult mortality and reduced productivity owing to egg and chick predation. No data exists on the presence of invasive alien species at Namenelala, although BirdLife International (2009) refer to the presence of rodents. Polynesian Rat is ubiquitous throughout the Pacific (IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group 2012) and is assumed to be present. Polynesian Rat has been recorded predating adult seabirds as well as eggs and chicks (Kepler 1967). They have precipitated island extinctions in small-bodied, ground-nesting seabirds, but their impacts on larger or arboreal nesting seabirds appear to be lower (Atkinson 1985, Jones et al. 2008). Black Rat, Brown Rat, Feral Cat, Feral Pig and Feral Goat are all plausible but unconfirmed residents. Each can potentially cause declines in seabird colonies, and ungulates can exacerbate the threat from other invasive mammals through habitat modification (Atkinson 1985, RodrÃguez et al. 2006, Jones et al. 2008, Duffy 2010). Overall, invasive mammals are suspected to be present and are likely to be having a limiting effect or causing population declines of bird populations present.
Category IV protected area
Privately Owned
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Namenalala (Fiji). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/namenalala-iba-fiji on 23/11/2024.
