Tongoa - Laika (44677)
Vanuatu, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Tongoa - Laika
Central coordinates: Latitude: -16.8994, Longitude: 168.5590
System: terrestrial, marine
Elevation (m): 0 to 475
Area of KBA (km2): 40.55613
Protected area coverage (%): 0.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Tongoa is one of the Shepherd Islands off the Southeast coast of Epi. It is of recent volcanic origin, but has no currently active volcano. The site is centred around the village of Kurumambe, where there is an an active geothermal area that is used by Vanuatu Scrubfowl. Laika is a small island rising to c40m asl, to the north of Tongoa that is owned, and managed by the people from Kurumambe village
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The site contains a globally important colony of both wedge-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacificia) and Vanuatu Scrubfowl (Megapodius layardi) nesting sites. Both species trigger criteria D1a.
Manageability of the site: The island of Laika is uninhabited and only visited occasionally by the local community to harvest Shearwater chicks. At Kurumambe, the cliffs are harvested for Scrubfowl eggs, though the community has imposed a tabu system to regulate and control the number of eggs taken. Plans are now in place for the implementation of a management plan for Laika. The KBA comprises the whole of Tongoa and Laika. Governance of Tongoa is exercised through the Tongoa Council of Chiefs, which brings together 14 chiefs representing the 14 village councils to make collective decisions on important island matters. The Kurumambe community sits within this governance framework. In addition, both Tongoa and Laika fall under the jurisdiction of the Tongoa Area Council, providing statutory oversight. Together, they ensure that the KBA can be managed as a single unit.
Delineation rationale: 2015-16-10(BL Secretariat): site area changed from 1338 ha to 3441 ha, following 2012 CEPF Ecosystem Profile. The delineation reflects that the KBA comprises the entirety of Tongoa Island, with the boundary following the high tide line, as well as the island of Laika.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Forest, coastal scrub, gardens.
Land use: Laika falls under the customary land tenure system and is traditionally owned and managed by Kurumambe community on Tongoa.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 92 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Overharvesting of wedge-tailed shearwater that could impact population if not managed, plastic pollution and the increasing impact of climate change and extreme weather conditions.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Ongoing | |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | ||
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Ongoing | |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Mark O'Brien et al (2024), Vanuatu Wedge-tailed Shearwater Report
Contributors: BirdLife International have coordinated the survey work on Tongoa and Laika, with support from the national NGOs - EDA, VEAN and VESS.