Mount Paitchau and Lake Iralalaro (15791)
Timor-Leste, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Gunung Paitchau dan Danau Iralalaro
Central coordinates: Latitude: -8.4500, Longitude: 127.2000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 960
Area of KBA (km2): 553.78519
Protected area coverage (%): 97.61
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: “A wild area of moist deciduous lowland forest with some mixed evergreen forest on the hills. The area [also] contains the interesting lake and swamps of Ira Lalaro” (FAO/UNDP 1982). There is an extensive intact range of habitats from the coast to karst hills lakes, rivers and swamps. Forest types include semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, swamp forest and coastal strand vegetation. Sandlund et al. (2001) identified this area as having the best remaining ‘primary’ forest in Timor-Leste, based on a rapid reconnaissance by helicopter.
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)
Additional biodiversity: Twenty-four restricted-range species have been recorded in this IBA, including the Endangered Timor Green-pigeon, and the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo also occurs there (Ora 2000, Trainor et al. 2004). Lake Iralalaro (c.1,500 ha) is the most significant freshwater site in Timor-Leste and Nusa Tenggara, supporting at least 50 waterbird species including large populations of ducks and rails (Trainor 2005).
Delineation rationale: 2015-06-11 (BL Secretariat): the KBA Nino Konis Santana (SitRecID 44944) covers the three IBAs Lore (SitRecID 15790), Monte Paitchau (SitRecID 15791) and Jaco Island (SitRecID 15792) (which remain as IBAs).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: “A wild area of moist deciduous lowland forest with some mixed evergreen forest on the hills. The area [also] contains the interesting lake and swamps of Ira Lalaro” (FAO/UNDP 1982). There is an extensive intact range of habitats from the coast to karst hills lakes, rivers and swamps. Forest types include semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, swamp forest and coastal strand vegetation. Sandlund et al. (2001) identified this area as having the best remaining ‘primary’ forest in Timor-Leste, based on a rapid reconnaissance by helicopter.
Land use: agriculture | hunting | nature conservation and research | rangeland/pastureland | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 45 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 45 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Hunting and timber cutting were listed as threats to this site by FAO/UNDP (1982). A proposed hydroelectric development in the Malahara and Sungai Vero valley has the potential to significantly impact on the important forest ecosystems in the new National Park.