Data Zone
Country/territory: Northern Mariana Islands (to USA)
IBA criteria met: A1, A2 (2007)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 3,315 hectares (33.15 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2007 | not assessed | medium | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2007 baseline)
The proposed IBA is located in the central part of Saipan Island. The area includes the central Mount Topachau, which runs down the center of the island, Lake Susupe and associated wetlands, and the Kagman area and Forbidden Island. Parts of the Kagman area are protected as a Conservation Area and Lake Susupe is a Limited Take area.
Key biodiversity
The Tapochau-Susupe-Kagman IBA includes a number of areas with habitats important to critical bird species. The Kagman area and adjacent Forbidden Island are home to established populations of Micronesian Megapodes (Marshall pers. comm.), White-throated Ground-Doves, and Mariana Fruit-Doves; as well as the island’s largest population of Golden White-Eyes. Part of the Kagman area is protected by law as the Kagman Wildlife Conservation Area (Schroer, 2007). Lake Susupe, which is also regulated as a Limited Take Zone by CNMI law, is included both for its value as a wetland (and home for Mariana Common Moorhens) and because it is home to large numbers of Nightingale Reed Warblers. Mount Tapochau (surveyed as part of the Garapan area) is home to the bulk of the current population of Mariana Swiftlets, in addition to Saipan’s other critical species.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Topachau-Susupe-Kagman (Northern Mariana Islands (to USA)). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/topachau-susupe-kagman-iba-northern-mariana-islands-(to-usa) on 23/12/2024.