Fish Ponds and Crossing Place Trail, Middle Caicos (19770)
Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK), Caribbean
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Fish Ponds and Crossing Place Trail, Middle Caicos
Central coordinates: Latitude: 21.8438, Longitude: -71.8358
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 15
Area of KBA (km2): 10.2427
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Western part of the northern coast of Middle Caicos, including Fish Ponds, Crossing Place Trail, Indian Cave and Blowing & Juniper Holes. Limestone cliffs, with small offshore cays, slope inland to ponds, which are connected to the sea under the cliffs. There are several sea-caves, and a dry inland cave within the site, Indian Cave.
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: Several restricted-range and biome-restricted species occur, including the Antillean Nighthawk, Bahama Woodstar and Bahama Mockingbird.The offshore cays are one of the few sites in TCI where there are reports of breeding Audubon's Shearwaters and numbers are probably of regional importance. There are several other species of regional importance in relation to the Caribbean population: breeding White-tailed Tropic-birds (50 breeding pairs), Greater Flamingos (500 individuals), Laughing Gulls (150 individuals), Gull-billed Terns (50 individuals), Royal Terns (120 individuals), Sandwich Terns (50 individuals), and Least Terns (50 individuals). There are also small numbers of migrant Sandhill Cranes. Non-bird biodiversity: Crossing Place Trail is the traditional route along the Caicos Islands, in particular the Middle Caicos section. As such, it is of great cultural importance. The trail is also of great scenic value, and along its route are important sites for wildlife, including specialist plants and butterflies, including the endemic Drury's hairstreak butterfly Strymon acis leucostricha. Fish Ponds comprise some of the most important wetlands in the area not included within the Ramsar site. The area is rich in fish and invertebrate life.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 33 | |
| Marine Neritic | 33 | |
| Shrubland | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The Crossing Place Trail has interim protection against development by measures under the Planning Regulations but more substantive protection is required, both against built development and any effects of the proposed causeway to link North and Middle Caicos. The track built in the area to the existing ferry to North Caicos cuts across some of the Fish Ponds and disrupts flow patterns, causing deoxygenation and mass fish deaths, of great concern to local residents. This needs addressing, as noted in the TCNT Biodiversity Management Plan. Nature Reserve status is also required.