Data Zone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix | LC | resident (1998) | present | A2, A3 |
| Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres | VU | resident (-) | 116–171 pairs | A1, A4ii |
| Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres | VU | non-breeding (-) | 250–400 birds | A1, A4ii |
| Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus | NT | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Grey Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris caesius | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Orange Ground-thrush Geokichla gurneyi | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Chorister Robin-chat Cossypha dichroa | LC | resident (1998) | present | A2, A3 |
| Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi | NT | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Swee Waxbill Coccopygia melanotis | LC | resident (1998) | present | A3 |
| Forest Canary Crithagra scotops | LC | resident (1998) | present | A2, A3 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 1998. The most recent assessment (2014) is shown below.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2014 | very poor | very high | very low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | habitat | medium | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat | Quantity (% remaining) | Quality (% carrying capacity) | Result |
| Forest | poor (40–69%) | poor (40–69%) | very poor |
| Savanna | moderate (70–90%) | good (>90%) | moderate |
| Wetlands (inland) | good (>90%) | good (>90%) | good |
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Residential and commercial development | happening now | whole of population/area (>90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Energy production and mining | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | high |
| Agricultural expansion and intensification | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Biological resource use | happening now | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Climate change and severe weather | 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 |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | no or slight decline (<1% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Little/none of area covered (<10%) | No management planning has taken place | Very little or no conservation action taking place | very low |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Vhembe Biosphere Reserve | UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve (UA) | 100 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | - | Montane forest - mixed |
| Savanna | - | Bushland & thicket - evergreen |
| Wetlands (inland) | - | Rivers & streams |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| nature conservation and research | 100 |
| forestry | 14 |
| military | - |
| tourism/recreation | - |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Soutpansberg (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/soutpansberg-iba-south-africa on 23/12/2024.