Middle Caicos Forest (19772)
Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK), Caribbean
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Middle Caicos Forest
Central coordinates: Latitude: 21.8000, Longitude: -71.7000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 15
Area of KBA (km2): 13.74176
Protected area coverage (%): 59.22
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Area of forest, between the settlements of Lorimers & Bambarra, at various stages of recovery after clearance in the Plantation period, from scrub to higher forest and including various types of permanent and temporary wetlands. The site is adjacent and ecologically linked to TC003.
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: Important throughout the year for the globally threatened West Indian Whistling Duck and Kirtland's Warbler in the non-breeding season. This area supports the most consistently recorded breeding and the largest and most consistently recorded roost for the Duck and the most sightings of the Warbler in TCI.The area is important too for restricted-range species: Bahama Woodstar; Bahama Mockingbird; and, Thick-billed Vireo an endemic subspecies; for which it is probably the most important area. Other biome-restricted species include: Antillean Nighthawk; Greater Antillean Bullfinch an endemic subspecies; and, the Cuban Crow, probably the most important area in the country for the last two. Non-bird biodiversity: Important habitat for certain bats, including Big-eared Bat Macrotus waterhousii, Buffy Flower Bat Erophylla sezekorni, Leach's Long-tongued Bat Monophyllus redmani, Cuban Fruit-eating Bat Brachyphylla nana and Red Bat Lasiurus borealis. One of the most important habitats for the following Turks & Caicos Islands endemic species of lizard: the gecko Aristelliger hechti (CR), Curly Tail Leiocephalus psammodromus, Caicos Islands Reef Gecko Sphaerodactylus caicosensis; and the one endemic species of snake: the Caicos Islands Trope Boa Tropidophis greenwayi. In addition there are further lizards that are endemic at the subspecific level: Turks & Caicos Bark Anole Anolis scriptus scriptus, Mabuya Skink (or slippery back or snake-doctor) Mabuya mabouya sloanei); and one snake: Bahaman Rainbow Boa Epicrates chrysogaster chrysogaster. The site is one of the areas in which re-establishment of woodland towards forest has moved furthest in places, so there is a good range of scrub and woodland types represented. Thus, there is a correspondingly wide range of invertebrate and plant species. It is an important area for plants still used for traditional purposes - this is important both for local people using these resources and for the potential interest to visitors; and additionally there are some important plantation ruins in the area.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Forest | 90 |