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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List	Season (year/s of estimate)	Size	IBA criteria
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	CR	resident (-)	4,000–5,000 pairs	A1, A4ii
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	CR	non-breeding (-)	8,000–14,000 birds	A1, A4ii
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	resident (-)	40–108 pairs	A1, A4i
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	LC	non-breeding (-)	300 birds	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	resident (-)	1,000–3,000 pairs	A1, A4i
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis	EN	non-breeding (-)	5,000–10,000 birds	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	resident (-)	57–106 pairs	A1, A4i
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	EN	non-breeding (-)	180–250 birds	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	resident (-)	20–35 pairs	A1, A4i
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	LC	non-breeding (-)	40–90 birds	A1, A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	breeding (-)	1,000–4,309 pairs	A4i
Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii	LC	non-breeding (-)	5,000–10,000 birds	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	breeding (-)	2,300 pairs	A4i
Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii	LC	non-breeding (-)	500–3,000 birds	A4i
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	resident (-)	20,000-49,999 birds	A4iii

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	Actual vs Reference (units)	% remaining	Result
African Penguin Spheniscus demersus	1,669 / 5,000 (pairs)	34	very poor
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus	74 / 108 (pairs)	69	poor
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus	93 / 106 (pairs)	88	moderate
African Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini	250 / 35 (pairs)	100	good

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

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Biological resource use	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Pollution	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Natural system modifications	likely in short term (<4 years)	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	high
Residential and commercial development	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Transportation and service corridors	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Climate change and severe weather	likely in short term (<4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Little/none of area 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

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

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 23/12/2024.