Current view: Text account
Site description (2022 baseline):
Site location and context
The area identified as IBA includes the entire area of Fogo Natural Park, as well as its buffer zone and some key sites outside the boundaries of Fogo Natural Park. This area corresponds to the entire core and buffer zone of the recently declared World Biosphere Reserve of Fogo. The Park is characterized by being the only one with an active volcano and the last eruption occurred in 2014. The Park is characterized by four key elements: the Pico do Fogo being the only active volcano and Cape Verde's highest point 2829 meters, the interior rim with vertical walls with more than 1000 meters of unevenness, Chã das Caldeiras and the forest perimeter of Monte Velha. The diversity of altitude and exposure make the island diverse in terms of microclimate favoring the creation of microclimates creating habitats and ecosystems with unique characteristics. The buffer zone of the park is made up of about 22 communities located at an altitude range of 400 to 1500 meters.
The Natural Park of Fogo has in its area about 123 species of higher plants identified. Of these 47 are endemic species, 5 are endemic species exclusive to the island of Fogo - Diplotaxis hirta, Verbascum cystolithicum, Erysimum caboverdeanum, Echium vulcanorum, Daucus tenuissimus. 76% of the vegetation of conservation interest is threatened with extinction. At least 15 bird species have been identified in the park, five of which are endemic to Cape Verde: Acrocephalus brevipennis has one of the largest populations in Cape Verde in the north and northeast part of the island of Fogo with an estimated population of about 500 specimens; Pterodroma feae is the only seabird species breeding in the park; Apus alexandri, falco alexandri and Tyto detorta are the endemic species. 6 species of terrestrial reptiles have also been catalogued with hemidactylus lopezjuradoi and Chioninia vaillantii standing out.
MAVA Foundation. Site identified during the MAVA funded project: "Conserving the seabirds of Cabo Verde" (2020 - 2022). Partner consultation supported by Ana Veiga (BirdLife Project Manager, Cabo Verde) and Jonathan Handley (BirdLife, UK). Site identification supported by: Samir Martins (BIOS.CV), Herculano Dinis (Projecto Vitó), Albert Taxonera (Associação Projeto Biodiversidade), Marcos Hernández (Associação Projeto Biodiversidade), Isabel Fortes (Biosfera), Catelene Monteiro (Biosfera), Pedro Geraldes (SPEA ), Ariana Cabral (Lantuna), Jacob González-Solís (University of Barcelona), Teresa Militão (University of Barcelona), Vitor Paiva (University of Coimbra).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Volcano area, Ilha do Fogo (Cape Verde). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/volcano-area-ilha-do-fogo-iba-cape-verde on 23/12/2024.
