Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
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.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
No threats are known.
National High
International Low467,300 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Sør-Spitsbergen, 530,000 ha). 120 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Dunøyene [Bird Sanctuary], 120 ha). 30 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Isøyene [Bird Sanctuary], 30 ha). 46 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Olsholmen [Bird Sanctuary], 46 ha). 3,599 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Sørkapp [Bird Sanctuary], 3,599 ha). 120 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Dunøyene, 120 ha). 30 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Isøyene, 30 ha).
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 25/11/2024.
