Great Tobago (19791)
Virgin Islands (to UK), Caribbean
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Great Tobago
Central coordinates: Latitude: 18.4393, Longitude: -64.8337
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 175
Area of KBA (km2): 16.95804
Protected area coverage (%): 6.24
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Great Tobago is one of the most Westerly of islands in BVI. It is a small, steep island of volcanic origin with mixed vegetation including Caribbean Dry forest and coastal scrub. Recent removal of 95% of feral goats by the Trust has resulted in the regeneration of vegetation particularly within the bird colony.
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: Great Tobago is known for its large colony of nesting Magnificent Frigatebirds. Hundreds of pairs nest in trees within Man o War Bay and the steep eastern hillsides facing the prevailing winds. Other nesting species include the Brown Pelican, Brown Booby, and, Laughing Gull. The Red-billed Tropicbird, or White-tailed Tropicbird, nest on exposed sea cliffs. Restricted range species found on Great Tobago, include the Green-throated Carib, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, and Puerto Rican Flycatcher . Non-bird biodiversity: At present there is no other threatened or endemic wildlife known on Great Tobago.
Delineation rationale: Mark has the shapefiles.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 40 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 20 | |
| Forest | 40 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: A serious threat to the Frigatebird colony is the loss of trees caused by hurricanes. Artificial nesting platforms have been installed within the Frigatebird colony to compensate for the lost trees, while they regenerate. Also grazing goats are a problem as they prevent natural regeneration of vegetation. The National Parks Trust has set up a culling programme, which has removed 95% of the goats. An additional threat is the entanglement of seabirds in monofilament fishing line.