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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
Blue Bustard Eupodotis caerulescens	NT	resident	-	present	A1
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus	NT	resident	-	present	A1, A3
Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres	VU	resident	-	present	A1
Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus	NT	resident	-	present	A1
Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi	EN	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Bush Blackcap Sylvia nigricapillus	VU	resident	1998	present	A1, A2, A3
Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus	LC	resident	1998	present	A1, A3
Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi	NT	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
Grassland	moderate (70-90%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable
Wetlands (inland)	good (> 90%)	poor (40-69%)	unfavourable
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Residential and commercial development	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Biological resource use	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Pollution	likely in short term (within 4 years)	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
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1987	Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	51
2000	Maloti-Drakensberg Park	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	-
2001	Craigielea Hunting Lodge	Nature Reserve	4
2012	Poccolan Robinson's Bush Nature Reserve	Nature Reserve	3

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks)		minor (<10)
Grassland	Grassland - montane	-
Wetlands (inland)	Rivers & streams	-

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
water management	60
nature conservation and research	14
agriculture	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve (South Africa). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/sterkfontein-dam-nature-reserve-iba-south-africa on 22/11/2024.