Waaihoek (100974)
South Africa, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1e, A2, B1, B2, B3a, B3b, B4, E
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Waaihoek
Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.5051, Longitude: 19.2675
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 245 to 1349
Area of KBA (km2): 97.17324
Protected area coverage (%): 31.87
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: Waaihoek is a small terrestrial site with substantial protection, found in the Western Cape, South Africa. Dominated by steep upper slopes below high very rugged mountains the vegetation is a moderately tall and dense shrubland mostly restioid, proteoid and asteraceous (mesotrophic) sandstone fynbos. Ericaceous fynbos becomes prominent at higher altitudes. A tall and dense post-fire component dominates early seral communities on wetter slopes. On lower slopes on shale and alluvia on the plains of the Breede River valley there are open emergent tall proteoids in a moderately tall shrub matrix with a graminoid understorey. Asteraceous and proteoid fynbos are dominant, with localised restioid fynbos and ericaceous fynbos. The lower lying portions of the site have only remnant patches of natural vegetation.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for 3 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Based on current available information, 39 species meet one or more KBA criteria for this site. The KBA trigger species at this site include birds, fish, and plants. The site meets criterion A1 due to the presence of significant proportions of the global populations of 7 threatened species. Effectively the entire global population of one Critically Endangered species is within the site. The site regularly holds 3 individual geographically restricted species, therefore meeting criterion B1. Assemblages of co-occurring range-restricted species in the Asparagales, Caryophyllales, Geraniales, and Proteales taxonomic groups regularly present within the site meet criterion B2. Co-occurring species endemic to the Fynbos terrestrial bioregion present at the site meet criterion B3. A quantitative analysis of irreplaceability indicates that the site is 100% irreplaceable for the global persistence of 5 species, therefore meeting criterion E. The site holds a significant proportion of the global extent of 1 threatened ecosystem (meeting criterion A2).
Additional biodiversity: 152 other potential trigger species meet minimum population parameter thresholds for the site, but presence and/or minimum reproductive units required to meet KBA criteria cannot be confirmed with available data.
Manageability of the site: This site is managed primarily by a regional conservation authority responsible for enforcing statutory regulations on landuse change in Critical Biodiversity Areas and threatened ecosystems.
Delineation rationale: Intact patches of threatened lowland fynbos vegetation, categorised as Critical Biodiversity Area, and falling within a single Local Municipality. Site bounded by mountain protected area with intensive agriculture to the west. Delineated to include full extent of remnants vegetation, some of which falls within a protected area.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Shrubland (81%), Artificial - terrestrial (14%)
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Gavin Masterson (Fathom Data), Warrick Stewart (Resilience Environmental Advice), Anisha Dayaram (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Maphale Monyeki (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Sediqa Khatieb (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Craig Hilton-Taylor (IUCN)