Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA is a discrete block of forest in the Ngerutechei area of Ngaremlengui. The site is bordered on the north and west by the Ngaremlengui Road and the Compact Road, respectively. To the east and south, the IBA extends to the edge of the land, not including the coastal mangroves. The Ngerutechei site is the only IBA on Babeldaob that includes significant riverine mangrove habitat. Mangroves, in general, are not well represented in Palau’s network of IBAs because the surveys that were used to identify IBAs did not include transects in the mangroves. The IBA includes the mountains of Etiruir, Tmerou, Sechedui and Ngeruach, which collectively form the highest areas in the state of Ngaremlengui.
All of Palau’s restricted-range bird species, with the exception of the Giant White-eye, are found in the Ngerutechei IBA.
Non-bird biodiversity: This IBA includes a unique swamp forest visible from the Compact Road. It is also home to many of Babeldaob’s flora and fauna, including many endemics and endangered species. Over 100 species of plants have been documented. This site also includes the ancient Ngerutechei Village, a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site. More information about the birds residing in this IBA is being recorded in new surveys being conducted by the Belau National Museum (Olsen 2007).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The Ngerutechei IBA which extends beyond the Ngerutechei Village is part of the larger Ngaremeduu Biosphere Reserve. The Village itself is listed in the National Register of historical sites.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Ngerutechei, Babeldaob (Palau). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/ngerutechei-babeldaob-iba-palau on 23/12/2024.
