South Spitsbergen National Park (Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway)) IBA | Summary

SJ010

South Spitsbergen National Park

Current view: summary

Country/territory: Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway)

IBA criteria met: A1, A3, A4i, A4ii, A4iii, B1i, B1ii, B2, B3 (2014)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 1,323,760 hectares (13,237.60 km²)

Site description (2000 baseline)
An area of high-Arctic tundra. The Bird Sanctuaries within the National Park are islands and islets with grassy vegetation, freshwater ponds and bare areas. A Polish research station is situated in the southern part of the park.

Key biodiversity
Sea cliffs at Stellingfjellet and Kovalskifjella (both on the east coast of Torrell Land) and at Sofiekammen (Gnalberget; facing Hornsund) hold important seabird colonies, while the Bird Sanctuaries are important breeding and moulting areas for Branta leucopsis and Somateria mollissima.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: South Spitsbergen National Park (Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway)). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/south-spitsbergen-national-park-iba-svalbard-and-jan-mayen-islands-(to-norway) on 28/12/2024.