Coquillage - Pointe Est (20468)
Haiti, Caribbean

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2008

National site name: Coquillage - Pointe Est

Central coordinates: Latitude: 20.0000, Longitude: -72.6523

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 192

Area of KBA (km²): 7.12756

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Coquillage - Point Est is a coastal system that includes limestone cliffs, inaccessible coastal limestone, beach of white sand, coral reefs and mangroves. Located on the southeastern part of the island of la Tortue (180 km2). Limited north by the slopes of of Morne Ti Clos (154m), south by the Canal of La Tortue, west by Grand Sable and east by Pointe Est, where meet both the Atlantic Ocean and the Canal de la Tortue. The locality of Coquillage is densely populated and counts a guesthouse. This coastal system is exploited by fishermen, boat builders (an interesting industry there) and farmers. In many cases, one person (men usually) can play the three roles, fish, build or own boats and farm. Many houses are well built and different from the traditional thatch roof houses, due to Tortugans immigration in Turks and Caicos and in the Bahamas. Riding by boat from the main port to other locality is easier than on land or on foot and there is regular boat traffic from Port Vincent to Basse Terre and Coquillage. Population estimates are uncertain (probably 4,000 inhabitants), but people of the area live of fisheries (marine), agriculture, wood cutting and lumber, charcoal making, boat rides and boat building, careening renting and ecotourism.

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: Its avifauna includes more than 40 species with 3 unique forms: Flat-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris tortugae), (Coereba bananivora nectarea), (Loxigilla violacea maurella) not found on the main land. It is an important area for migratory species including transiting species and Tropicbirds. Non-bird biodiversity: Endemic subspecies do Île de la Tortue Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris tortugae); Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola nectarea); Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla violacea maurella). Marine migratory species need to be inventoried; this includes species of the wetlands/mangrove.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Although the island of La Tortue shelters more than 200 species of plants, vegetation differs from east to west, north to south due to different edaphic (soil and climate) conditions. In this proposed IBA, vegetation changes with the landscape. On the more coastal zones, mangrove areas shelters the four types of mangrove [Red (Rhizophora mangle), White (Laguncularia racemosa), Black (Avicennia germinans) and Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae), lagoons and brackish water swamps show wetland vegetation. In the rugged limestone zones vegetation is xerophytes due to the rapid percolation of water. On the white sand beaches, portia trees (Thespesia populnea), coconut trees and cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco) bring shade, colors and fruits. Endemic plants include: Acrocomia aculeata (Palmae), Fagara pterota (Rutaceae), Tillandsia sublaxa (Bromeliaceae), Chrysobalanus icaco (Rosaceae), Thouinia racemosa (Sapindaceae), , Guettarda turpinii (Rubiaceae), Smilax sp. (Liliaceae); Wedelia gracilis (Compositae), Setaria tenax (Gramineae), Wedelia jacquini (Compositae), Solanum ciliatum (Solanaceae), Paspalum ciliatifolium (Gramineae), Cenchrus pauciflorus (Gramineae), Xylosma coriaceum (Flacourtiaceae), Phyllanthus nobilis (Euphorbiaceae), Passiflora cuprea (Passifloraceae), Baccharis dioeca (Compositae), Scaevola plumierii (Goodeniaceae), Guettarda tortuensis (Rubiaceae), Acanthospermum hispidum (Compositae) Jussiaea erecta (Oenotheraceae), Pera glomerata (Euphorbiaceae), Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae), Setaria setosa var. paractenioides (Gramineae), Hyperbaena glauciramis (Menispermaceae), Caesalpinia secundiflora (Leguminoseae), Nephrolepis biseirata (Polypodiaceae), Myrtus bahamensis (Myrtaceae), Bunchosia lucida (Malpighiaceae). A number of plants had been introduced such as Coleus amboinicus (Labiateae), plantains and bananas, coconuts, corn etc.

Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | forestry | tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	49
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	49
Forest	2

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Habitat destruction, introduced animals,conversion to agriculture, fuelwood extraction, Elimination of bird species, demography, fishing practices, pollutant load, nutrient load, recreational activities, sedimentation and erosion.

Additional information