Comino island (189)
Malta, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Gzejjer ta'Kemmuna
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.0167, Longitude: 14.3333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 75
Area of KBA (km2): 2.87244
Protected area coverage (%): 98.09
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A small island lying mid-way between mainland Malta and Gozo. The karst landscape supports sclerophyllous scrub. An afforestation programme has been carried out on a limited scale with Pinus. There is a sand-dune system at Santa Maria bay with typical native vegetation, including trees of Tamarix and Vitex.
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: An important site for breeding Puffinus yelkouan. Many trans-Saharan passerine migrants seek refuge on the island, especially during bad weather conditions in spring, and birds of prey occur regularly on migration, including Circus aeruginosus, Milvus migrans and Falco vespertinus. Falco peregrinus used to breed, and a pair of Asio flammeus nested in 1983.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (5%) | not utilised (70%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 65 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 10 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is a management plan for the site. BirdLife Malta participates in an ongoing research programme coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of Bologna, the main aim of which is to study the spring migration of passerines across the western Mediterranean. BirdLife Malta also manages part of a valley where it is intended to set up a bird observatory.