Key Biodiversity Areas

Ios, Sikinos and Folegandros islands (1170)
Greece, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1bA1dD1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Nisoi Ios, Sikinos kai Folegandros
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.6667, Longitude: 25.0167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 713
Area of KBA (km2): 184.46551
Protected area coverage (%): 45.55
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The scrub-dominated islands in the South Cyclades and the adjacent rocky islets. Human activities include tourism, fishing, arable agriculture and livestock-farming.
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 area is important for breeding seabirds and raptors. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Larus audouinii.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (70%) | fisheries/aquaculture (5%) | not utilised (20%) | tourism/recreation (5%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%)
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Neritic5
Marine Coastal/Supratidal8
Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks)8
Shrubland70
Artificial - Terrestrial10

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are tourism and infrastructure developments and hunting. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.