Samothraki island (1160)
Greece, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Nisos Samothraki
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.4667, Longitude: 25.5000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1611
Area of KBA (km2): 149.07225
Protected area coverage (%): 98.57
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mountainous island with oak Quercus forest in the north and extensive olive-groves and scrub in the south. The south-east is largely inaccessible.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The site is important for migratory species.
Delineation rationale: 2012-12-17 (BL Secretariat): site area updated from 17000 ha to 14907 ha after addition of seaward extension to the site in October 2012 for the Marine eAtlas.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (17%) | fisheries/aquaculture | military (10%) | not utilised (15%) | tourism/recreation (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 11 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 | |
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 6 | |
| Forest | 33 | |
| Shrubland | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threat is from forest grazing. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.