Kiritimati (Christmas Island) (27459)
Kiribati, Oceania
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Kiritimati (Christmas Island)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 1.8700, Longitude: -157.4277
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 1340.5648
Protected area coverage (%): 0.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kiritimati is the largest of the Line Islands, and by total land area is the largest atoll in the world. This ancient atoll consists of a large, flat, island with a shallow tidal lagoon opening to the northwest. At the inner (eastern) end of the lagoon there are several hundred smaller, land-locked, lagoons.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: The island supports globally-important populations of a number of seabirds, and is also home to the endemic, restricted-range Kiritimati Reed-warbler
Supersedes another site: 31024
Delineation rationale: This boundary includes the original colony area with an additional 5km marine foraging buffer. This buffer extends not from coastline but from the edge of reef extent (Allen Coral Atlas, 2020). These buffers were redefined and are now more appropriate for the trigger species (Brown Noddy, Black Noddy, Polynesian Storm-petrel, Tropical Shearwater, Christmas Island Shearwater, Phoenix Petrel, Red-tailed Tropicbird).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Almost half the area is comprised of both tidal and land-locked brackish lagoons. The remaining areas of land comprises tall and dwarf shrub, grassland and herb communities, as well as large areas that have been turned over to coconut plantations. The island is inhabited with several thousand people, and is expected to develop further.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The introduction of alien invasive species, in particular pacific rats and cats, has had a substantial effect on seabird breeding - with islets abandoned when thesee predators are present. In addition black rat is present on parts of the mainland around habitation, and may be impacting on the Kiritimati Reed-warbler. Poaching, egg and adult bird harvesting is also an ongoing issue.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |