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Site description (2012 baseline):

Taveuni is an old shield volcano dotted with more than 150 volcanic craters, which last erupted in 1658. The southern slopes rise steeply out of the sea and are characterised by high rainfall (up to 7 m/year), land-slips and regenerating forest. The mountains are even wetter (up to 10 m/year), but the north side is in a slight rain-shadow. 

The Taveuni Mountains retain extensive unsurveyed forest which may be suitable for Red-throated Lorikeet, although none have been confirmed since 11 specimens were taken between 1887 and 1912. The majority of the world populations of eight subspecies of bird endemic to Taveuni breed in this IBA. A1 Globally threatened species * [Red-throated Lorikeet (CR) – historical records (last sighting in 1875); may still occur] * Friendly Ground-dove (VU) – fairly common * Black-faced Shrikebill (VU) – uncommon * Tahiti Petrel (NT) – the largest recorded numbers in Fiji (>150 were seen offshore in 2003) * Silktail (NT) – most of the estimated 5,000–8,000 pairs on Taveuni breed here A2 Restricted-range species 23 species (out of 23 on Taveuni), including all three endemic to Taveuni and Vanua Levu. A4ii Congregatory seabird species * Tahiti Petrel – poorly known but may meet the threshold of >100 pairs]

Non-bird biodiversity: Only partial surveys have been completed for plants but at least seven plant species are identified as endemic to this IBA. Threatened endemic plants include Syzygium phaeophyllum (CR), Alsmithia longipes (EN) and Neuburgia macroloba (EN). Also found commonly at higher altitudes on the island is the well-known Tagimaucia Medinilla waterhousei, which has been suggested as a suitable national flower for Fiji. The Fiji Flying-fox (CR) is only known from a few specimens from the summit forests of Taveuni. Both the Fijian Ground Frog (EN) and Fijian Tree Frog (NT) are found here, alongside several lizards which do not occur on islands with mongoose.

The Taveuni Highlands IBA is the combination of the Ravilevu Nature Reserve, Taveuni Forest Reserve and Bouma National Heritage Park together with adjacent old-growth forest in the mountains and hills to the north-west. This IBA covers approximately 65% of Taveuni, Fiji’s third biggest island (442 km²). Most of the IBA is lowland and montane forest but large areas of the steep unstable slopes have broken-canopy forest. Additional habitats include the coast and some small wetlands, notably Lake Tagimaucia which has few birds but is nationally important as a large freshwater lake and marsh. Taveuni is exceptional in having a high proportion of remaining forest including an intact ridge-to-reef ecosystem, extremely rare in the Pacific. Taveuni is also extremely important as the largest mongoose-free island in Fiji. Although it has most of the other invasive alien species found across Fiji, these are probably having lesser impacts because Taveuni retains a large unfragmented forest.

There is currently a low threat from small-scale subsistence and cash-crop agriculture, e.g. kava (yaqona). Encroachment is likely to continue unless local people become more aware of conservation.   Human disturbance (such as recreational activities) and direct harvesting may occur at this site although the threat these activities pose is unknown. Invasive Alien Species represent the greatest threat to seabirds globally (Croxall et al. 2012), causing adult mortality and reduced productivity owing to egg and chick predation. Feral Cats, House Mice, Polynesian Rats, Brown Rats, Black Rats and Feral Pigs are confirmed to occur on Taveuni Islands and are likely to occur in the highlands (SPREP, 2000). Polynesian Rat is ubiquitous throughout the Pacific (IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group 2012). Rats have been recorded predating adult seabirds as well as eggs and chicks (Kepler 1967). They have precipitated island extinctions in small-bodied, ground-nesting seabirds, but their impacts on larger or arboreal nesting seabirds appear to be lower (Atkinson 1985, Jones et al. 2008). Small Indian Mongoose was surveyed for and was not present in September 2002, considering the impact mongoose has had on other Fijian Islands it is important that they do not reach Taveuni (Morley, 2004). Overall, invasive mammals are known to be present and are likely to be having a limiting effect on seabirds, or causing population declines. Seabirds are highly visually oriented and known to become disorientated at night in the presence of artificial light (Bruderer et al., 1999). On archipelagos worldwide, thousands of fledglings of different petrel species are attracted to artificial lights during their first flights from nest-burrows to the sea, a phenomenon called ‘fallout’ (Reed et al. 1985, Telfer et al. 1987, Le Corre et al. 2002, Rodríguez & Rodríguez 2009, Miles et al. 2010, Rodrigues et al. 2011). Grounded birds are vulnerable to starvation, predation, dehydration and collision with vehicles. The prevalence of this potential threat at this site is not known but it may be having a negative impact.

The Taveuni highlands are relatively well-protected, on paper at least. The Ravilevu Nature Reserve and the Taveuni Forest Reserve are managed by the Department of Forestry. The Bouma National Heritage Park is a community-based initiative which accommodates and guides tourists as part of an integrated conservation and development project, owned by the villages of Lavena, Korovou, Vidawa and Waitabu. Like Koroyanitu on Viti Levu, the initiative has benefited from guidance and assistance from the New Zealand government in a project which is led by the NLTB. These protected areas have little active management and are under some threat from expanding small-scale subsistence and cash-crop agriculture, especially kava (yaqona). This encroachment is likely to continue unless local people are more aware of (and benefit more directly from) the links between tourist income and the conservation of Taveuni’s coral reefs and traditional village and rainforest environment. The extensive oldgrowth forests, including significant areas of intact ridge-to-reef ecosystems have lead to the Taveuni Mountains being suggested as a potential World Heritage Site and/or more recently Fiji's first National Park. Designation could be used to promote the island to tourists and to improve conservation and environmental awareness. Although Taveuni has many fewer invasive alien species than most islands, these pose a greater threat than habitat loss. The most important bird conservation action is to ensure that mongoose do not colonise the island from Neighbouring Vanua Levu where they have extirpated all ground-nesting bird species. Black Rats may also be causing problems by predating birds (notably Red-throated Lorikeet) but this has not been demonstrated in Fiji.

Taveuni Forest Reserve, Ravilevu Nature Reserve, Bouma National Heritage Park

The land tenure is a mixture of Native Lands and Freehold Lands. 

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Taveuni Highlands (Fiji). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/taveuni-highlands-iba-fiji on 22/11/2024.