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Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
The Pitons are located on the southwest coast of St. Lucia, near the coastal town of Soufriere, and provide an area of outstanding natural beauty, spectacular geological features, and highly productive biological ecosystems. The Pitons Management Area (PMA) is a World heritage Site comprising of 2 majestic volcanic spires that rise from the sea to 777m and 730m respectively. The Gros Piton and Petit Piton are volcanic plugs that are part of our national and international identity. The area comprise of 1450 hectares. Communities within the PMA are Fond Jens Libre and Chateau Belair. Two resorts Ladera and Jalousie Hilton also lie within the PMA.
The species of national importance in this site include the following: St. Lucia Black Finch
Melanospiza richardsoni, St. Lucia Oriole
Icterus laudabilis, St. Lucia Pewee (Lesser Antillean Pewee)
Contopus oberi (Contopus latirostris) , St. Lucia Warbler
Dendroica delicata, St. Lucia Flycatcher (Lesser Antillean Flycatcher)
Myiachus oberi sanctae luceae (Myiachus oberi ) and St. Lucia Wren (House Wren)
Troglodytes aedon sanctae luceae (Troglodytes aedon). Other species that inhabit the area are: Banana Quit (Bananaquit) Coereba flaveola, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch Loxigila noctis, Black-faced Grass Quit (Black-faced Grassquit) Tiaris bicolor, Broad-Winged hawk (broad-winged Hawk) Buteo platypterus, Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, Green Heron Butorides virescens, Grey Trembler Cinclocerthia gutturalis, Brown Trembler Cinclocerthia ruficauda, Mangrove Cuckoo Coccyzus minor , Common Ground-dove Columbina passerina, Red-Necked Pigeon (Scaly-naped Pigeon) Patagioenas squamosa, Caribbean Elaenia Elaenia martinica, Purple-throated Carib Eulampis jugularis, Antillean Euphonia Euphonia musica, American Kestrel Falco sparverius, Ruddy Quail Dove Geotrygon montana, Scaly-Breasted Thrasher Margarops fuscus, Antillean Crested Hummingbird Orthorhyncus cristatus, Carib Grackle Quiscalus lugubris, Lesser Antillean Saltator Saltator albicollis, Bare-eyed Thrush (Spectacled Thrush) Turdus nudigenis, Grey Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis, Black-whispered Vireo (Black-whiskered Vireo) Vireo altiloquus, Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita.Non-bird biodiversity: Other endemic species found in the area include St. Lucia anole Anolis luceae and St. Lucia Pygmy Gecko Sphaerodactylus microlepis, Boa constrictor (endemic subspecies) Fer de lance; a newly described mollusc(?). The Pitons have also a very high floristic diversity, including many endemics, for St Lucia.
According to the Holdridge scheme of life zones based on elevation, precipitation and evaporation, the life zones in the Pitons Management Area can be classed as Subtropical wet forest to Tropical moist forest with areas of Tropical dry forest transition to tropical very dry forest near the coast. Average annual rainfall ranges between 2000 and 2500 mm. In the dry months between January and May the region experiences a rainfall deficit. The biodiversity value of the area is enhanced by the extreme landscape provided by the pitons where a combination of slope, climate and soil regimes have given rise to at least 148 plant species (Anthony, 1997) and 50 species of birds(Cox, 1999). The area has 2 endemic plants
Acalypha elizabethae and
Bernadia laurentii (both rare plants) with the latter endemic to the summit of Petit Piton; three rare vines
Gonolobus martinicensis, Amphilophium paniculatum and Melothria pendula; six rare trees
Ocotea careaceae, Guarea kunthiana, Krugiodendronferreum, Picasma excelsa,Forestiera eggersiana and Randia nitida; 2 rare shrubs –
Justicia carthaginersis, Piper reticulatum and a rare herb Eipatorium microstemon. The forest in the Pitons management area is used for tourism and recreation. Tours are conducted on the Gros Piton Trail. The major use is for nature conservation as most of the area is inaccessible. The marine part of the PMA is used for tourism and recreation, fisheries and also part as marine reserve. Most of the IBA is owned by the state.
Migrant species and waterbirds: The pitons rise from the sea to over 700 meters. Most of the area is inaccessible due to the rugged terrain. However it is likely that migrants and other waterbirds use the area for feeding and roosting.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Some of the threats to the Piton management Area include the following:
Non-native predators – especially small Indian mongoose; black, brown rats
Development Pressures from tourism.
Hurricanes – St. Lucia lies in the hurricane belt of the eastern Caribbean and as a result is vulnerable to hurricane strikes each year during the hurricane season which runs from June to November. However, the last hurricane to hit the Island was Hurricane Allen in 1980 where over 80% of the forest was either damaged or destroyed.
Fires – The threat of fires is high in the dry season. The area has had a few fires in the past when fires lit by farmers or from persons camping in the area have escaped.
Volcanic eruption – Since the Pitons are volcanic plugs of an extinct/dormant volcano, the threat of a volcanic eruption although remote cannot be ruled out. The Soufriere Hills in the Caribbean Island of Montserrat is a grim reminder of what extinct volcanoes can do.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Botanist Roger Graveson is conducting an ongoing floral inventory
The Area is a World Heritage Site and as a result the 2 pitons are protected while the surrounding lands are under some form of management. Part of the marine area is a marine reserve. The Wildlife Protection Act, The Fisheries Act and Crown Lands Ordinance all play a role in protecting the area. The protected area is contained by the proposed IBA.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Pitons (Qualibou and Canaries) (St Lucia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pitons-(qualibou-and-canaries)-iba-st-lucia on 23/11/2024.
