Harrold and Wilson Ponds National Park (19820)
Bahamas, Caribbean
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Harrold and Wilson Ponds National Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 25.0375, Longitude: -77.3765
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 0.81059
Protected area coverage (%): 92.06
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Located in South Central New Providence, Harrold and Wilson Ponds encompass 250 acres of wetlands. An exceptional educational and ecotourism site, a stone's throw from the nation's capital and tourism hub, this area is an invaluable addition to the country's national parks system.
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: More than 100 avian species, including the island's highest concentration of herons, egrets, ibises and cormorants have been identified there, providing confirmation that the area is an indespensable habitat for birdlife on New Providence.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: A freshwater wetland area, partially used for agriculture, commercial, residential and ecotourism.
Land use: agriculture | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 31 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 63 | |
| Shrubland | 6 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Agriculture with its use of fertilizers and pesticides.Commercial chicken farm creating pollution by the dumping of body parts.Housing development and squatters create pollutin and utilize illegal dumping to reclaim land.Invasive plant species such as casurinas and brazillian pepper propagate at such a fast rate they will gradually crowd out the native species.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |