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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
Knysna Turaco Tauraco corythaix	LC	resident	1998	present	A2, A3
Forest Buzzard Buteo trizonatus	NT	resident	1998	present	A3
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	resident	-	116-171 breeding pairs	A1, A4ii
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	non-breeding	-	250-400 individuals	A1, A4ii
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

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 (2014) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Savanna	moderate (70-90%)	good (> 90%)	near favourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

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 area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Residential and commercial development	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Biological resource use	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Energy production and mining	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Climate change and severe weather	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
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low

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%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1954	Nzhelele Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1956	Oase Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1956	Roodewal Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1964	Tinus Eyssell Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1965	Johanna F. Uys Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	<1
1969	Chapudi Private Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1
1980	Nwanedi National Park	Nature Reserve	1
1985	Entabeni Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	3
1985	Ratombo Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	<1
1991	Roodewal Nature Reserve	Forest Nature Reserve	<1
2009	Vhembe Biosphere Reserve	UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve	100
2014	Luvhondo Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1
2014	Happy Rest Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	1

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Forest	Montane forest - mixed	-
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	100
forestry	14
military	-
tourism/recreation	-

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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 23/11/2024.