Mukojima islands (15045)
Japan, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Mukojima islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 27.6667, Longitude: 142.1333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 159
Area of KBA (km2): 5.10537
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Mukojimaretto islets located in the north of Ogasawaragunto chain islands on the Pacific Ocean which are about 900-1,100 km south of Tokyo metropolitan area, consist of Kitanoshima, Mukojima, Nakoudojima, Yomejima and other islets. The largest Mukojima is about 2.57 km2, and the highest point is at Nakoudojima which is about 155m high. They are small and flat islets. Most forests have been lost to vegetation destruction caused by feral goats, and resulted in erosion. Since the latter half of 1990s feral goats have been exterminated, but there are still some goats that remain on the island. A vegetation recovery project has progressed at the remaining forests.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Only in the future |
| Geological events | Earthquakes/tsunamis | Only in the future |