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The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2006 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
Shy Ground Dove Pampusana stairi	LC	resident (2005)	uncommon	A1, A2
Barking Imperial-pigeon Ducula latrans	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Golden Dove Chrysoena luteovirens	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Many-coloured Fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii	LC	resident (2005)	rare	A2
Fiji Goshawk Accipiter rufitorques	LC	resident (2005)	rare	A2
Masked Shining-parrot Prosopeia personata	NT	resident (2005)	common	A1, A2
Collared Lory Phigys solitarius	LC	resident (2005)	frequent	A2
Giant Honeyeater Gymnomyza brunneirostris	LC	resident (2005)	abundant	A2
Kikau Foulehaio procerior	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Sulphur-breasted Myzomela Myzomela jugularis	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Polynesian Triller Lalage maculosa	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Fiji Woodswallow Artamus mentalis	LC	resident (2005)	uncommon	A2
Fiji Streaked Fantail Rhipidura layardi	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Vanikoro Flycatcher Myiagra vanikorensis	LC	resident (2005)	frequent	A2
Chestnut-throated Flycatcher Myiagra castaneigularis	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Slaty Monarch Mayrornis lessoni	LC	resident (2005)	common	A2
Fiji Shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis	LC	resident (2005)	frequent	A2
Black-throated Shrikebill Clytorhynchus nigrogularis	NT	resident (2005)	uncommon	A1, A2
Long-legged Thicketbird Cincloramphus rufus	EN	resident (2005)	3 birds	A1, A2
Fiji Bush-warbler Horornis ruficapilla	LC	resident (2005)	abundant	A2
Fiji White-eye Zosterops explorator	LC	resident (2005)	abundant	A2
Polynesian Starling Aplonis tabuensis	LC	resident (2005)	frequent	A2
Fiji Parrotfinch Erythrura pealii	LC	resident (2005)	frequent	A2
Pink-billed Parrotfinch Erythrura kleinschmidti	VU	resident (2005)	< 50 adults	A1, A2

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2006. The most recent assessment (2018) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Quantity (% remaining)	Quality (% carrying capacity)	Result
Forest	-	moderate (70–90%)	moderate

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Natural system modifications	happe­ning now	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Energy production and mining	likely in long term (>4 years)	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	moderate decline (10–30% over 3 gener­ations)	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happe­ning now	most of popul­ation/area (50–90%)	no or slight decline (<1% over 3 gener­ations)	low
Biological resource use	past (and unlikely to return) and no longer limiting	some of popul­ation/area (10–49%)	slow decline (1–10% over 3 gener­ations)	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Designation	Planning	Action	Result
Most of area (50–90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists, but it is out of date or not compre­hensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

Year	Protected Area	Designation (management category)	% coverage of IBA
-	Sovi Basin	National Park (-)	47
-	Sovi Basin Conservation Area	Other Area (-)	48
2006	Sovi Basin Protected Area	Conservation Reserve (II)	58

Habitat	% of IBA	Habitat detail
Forest	-	Lowland evergreen rain forest (tropical)

Land use	% of IBA
nature conservation and research	-
forestry	-

Sovi Basin is under traditional ownership of 13 mataqali, belonging to the three Tikina; Waimaro (97%), Nadaravakawalu and Namosi. As well as these Native Lands, there are eight small Crown Lands (totalling about 1,306 ha) and two Freehold Lands (80 ha). The basin was inhabited a few generations ago but abandoned because of poor soils and accessibility into the basin. Sovi is only 35 km from the capital, Suva.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sovi Basin (Fiji). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sovi-basin-iba-fiji on 22/12/2024.