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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
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	CR	resident	-	4,000-5,000 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	CR	non-breeding	-	8,000-14,000 individuals	A1, A4ii
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	resident	-	40-108 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	non-breeding	-	300 individuals	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	resident	-	1,000-3,000 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	non-breeding	-	5,000-10,000 individuals	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	resident	-	57-106 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	non-breeding	-	180-250 individuals	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	resident	-	20-35 breeding pairs	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	non-breeding	-	40-90 individuals	A1, A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	breeding	-	1,000-4,309 breeding pairs	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	non-breeding	-	5,000-10,000 individuals	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	breeding	-	2,300 breeding pairs	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	non-breeding	-	500-3,000 individuals	A4i
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	resident	-	20,000-49,999 individuals	A4iii

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 (2013) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	5,000	1,669	breeding pairs	34	very unfavourable
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	108	74	breeding pairs	69	unfavourable
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	106	93	breeding pairs	88	near favourable
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	35	250	breeding pairs	100	favourable

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Shrubland	very poor (< 40%)	very poor (< 40%)	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Pollution	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Shrubland	Shrubland - Cape (fynbos)	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
other	-
tourism/recreation	-
unknown	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Robben Island (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/robben-island-iba-south-africa on 23/11/2024.