Current view: Text account
Site description (2006 baseline):
Site location and context
The Rairaimatuku Highlands forms part of Viti Levu's large central plateau. Some of the area receives partial protection as a watershed for Fiji’s largest hydro-electric dams.
The montane forests from Rairaimatuku to the Greater Tomaniivi IBA are the best hope for survival of Red-throated Lorikeet but ongoing surveys are yet to confirm its current status. The species was reportedly "well known to everyone in Nadrau" in 1979 and there are a few records in the Nadrau area until 1993. The IBA is nationally important for the numbers of Pacific Black Duck on Monasavu reservoir, where a maximum of 120 have been seen, and Peregrine Falcons probably breed.
A1 Globally threatened species
* [Red-throated Lorikeet (CR) – last known site (last sighting in 1993); may still occur]
* Long-legged Warbler (EN) – one of only two known populations; at least two pairs
* Friendly Ground-dove (VU) – uncommon
* Pink-billed Parrotfinch (VU) – uncommon
* Black-faced Shrikebill (VU) – fairly common
* Masked Shining Parrot (NT) – uncommon at this altitude
A2 Restricted-range species
24 species (out of 25 known from Viti Levu), including all three endemic to Viti Levu.
Non-bird biodiversity: The Rairaimatuku area is the only known site for the endemic Montane Tree Skink although this species is likely to occur elsewhere in montane Viti Levu. Other endemic species include Fijian Tree Frog (NT) and Green Tree Skink, but the plants and other biodiversity are poorly known.
Rairaimatuku is part of Viti Levu’s large central plateau. The majority of the IBA is high-altitude lowland rainforest, with areas of montane forest at higher altitudes, especially in exposed locations on steep slopes. Extensive areas of unlogged forest remain but much of the road-side forest on flatter gradients has been logged and, in some places, logging roads extend far from the public highways. There are a number of small villages in the area, surrounded by small areas of agriculture, forestry plantations and secondary forest. Patchy and degraded forest extends west to Greater Tomaniivi and, much more patchily, south to Sovi Basin. Monasavu Dam and associated smaller dams power a series of hydro-electric generators, providing the majority of Fiji’s electricity. Forest has been flooded to create these reservoirs and small areas have been cleared or degraded around these sites. The dam is owned by the Fiji government and leased by the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA).
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Forestry; Agriculture
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Rairaimatuku area is threatened by logging. New logging tracks were being opened during project fieldwork (2002–04), degrading the forest and opening access to invasive alien species, such as mongoose and Black Rats. Whilst there is no logging in the immediate water catchments of the various hydro-electricity dams, which are protected by the FEA, this logging is likely to have an impact on the water level and quality in the dams through local climate change and run-off. Forest is being lost at a much slower rate through clearance for agricultural land, especially close to the roads. The FEA office close to the Monasavu Dam could be used as a base for education, research and conservation. The impacts of invasive alien species are poorly known but predation by mongoose probably caused the historical extirpation of Collared Petrel and predation by rats may have caused the recent or imminent extinction of the Red-throated Lorikeet.
Unprotected. Site of National Significance.
The forested watershed is owned by local land-owners but is not leased or managed by FEA, even though the FEA relies on the catchment for an uninterrupted supply of water for its hydropower. The land tenure is mostly Native Lands except for three Crown Lands totalling about 1,490 ha.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Rairaimatuku Highlands (Fiji). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/rairaimatuku-highlands-iba-fiji on 22/11/2024.
