Morotai (15965)
Indonesia, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Morotai
Central coordinates: Latitude: 2.3530, Longitude: 128.4510
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1090
Area of KBA (km2): 1199.38461
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This area has the highest peak of Gunung Sabatai (1090 m) and the highest area in Morotai Island. Around and inside of the area there are 9 settlements that spread in the western to northern part of the coastal area. Generally, the people who live in the villages are Tobelo people. People work as dry land farmer and some of them also work as fisherman, they also collect medicinal plants, resin, rattan and hunting. The main comodity from plantation are coconut and cacao.
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. KBA identified by the 2014 CEPF Wallacea Ecosystem Profile process. Taxonomy and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Chattering Lory Lorius garrulus live in this area. In 1945, this bird was the commonest parrot species in Morotai Island and Rau (BirdLife International 2001). Population estimate between 1991-1992 was 3848-27120 birds (Lambert 1993 a,b) and considered as a common species (Coates & Bishop 1997). The vulnerable Dusky Friarbird Philemon fuscicapillus also found in this area. In 1945 this bird was very common in this area (Lendon 1946 in BirdLife International 2001). There is no new information about this bird. Non-bird biodiversity: Fauna: Phalanger sp morotai (endemic of Morotai Island), Cervus timorensis moluccensis.Endemic flora: Mastixia petandra moluccana, Euonymus moluccensis, Bridelia morotaea, Archidendron monopterum and Largestroemia moluccana (Monk et.al.1997)
Delineation rationale: 2015-06-10 (BL Secretariat): site area changed from 45000 ha to 239680 ha, following 2014 CEPF Ecosystem Profile.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Evergreen rainforest and some of semi-evergreen forest (Monk et.al.1997)
Land use: forestry
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 91 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Logging by HPH, land clearing for plantation and bird catching (Parrot) for trading.
Additional information
References: BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened bird of Asia: BirdLife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K: BirdLife International.Coates, B.J., Bishop, K.D. & Gardner, D. 1997. A Guide to the Bird of Wallacea: Sulawesi, The Moluccas and Lesser Sunda.Lambert, F., Wirth, R., Seal, S.U., Thomsen, B.J., Joseph, Sue Ellis. 1993. Parrots. An action Plan for their Conservation 1993-1998. BirdLife International, IUCN, SSC, Traffic International, WWF, Cambridge, UK.Lambert, F.R. 1993. The Status of and Trade in North Moluccan Parrots with particular emphasis on Cacatua alba, Lorius garrulus and Eos squamata. (Status dan Perdagangan Kakatua dan Nuri dari Maluku Utara, khususnya burung Kakatua putih, Nuri Ternate dan Perkici Merah). IUCN/The World Conservation Union, Cambridge, UK.Monk. K.A., de Fretes, Y. and Reksodiharjo-Lilley, G. 1997. The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. Periplus Edition, Singapura