Klein Bonaire, Bonaire (20787)
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands), Caribbean

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Klein Bonaire, Bonaire

Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.1535, Longitude: -68.3008

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 7

Area of KBA (km²): 18.1083

Protected area coverage (%): 93.19

KBA classification: Regional

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Klein Bonaire, a 690 ha, low coral-limestone island, lies approximately one km offshore from Kralendijk on mainland Bonaire. The island is dominated by low shrubby vegetation that has been severely impacted from a long history of the felling of trees and overgrazing by introduced goats. The island’s shoreline includes three salinas, five freshwater springs or wells, beach areas that are important sea turtle nesting grounds, and coral rubble strands with low shrubby vegetation. The island is uninhabited but has been used in the past for camping by residents as well as for a small quarantine building facility.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.

Additional biodiversity: Tern breeding surveys in 2002 estimated at least 100 breeding Least Terns which would constitute approximately 2% of regional population. The island is also host to breeding Wilson’s Plover (eight birds documented in 2001) and Snowy Plover (six birds documented in 2001). There are historical breeding records on the island for Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Snowy Egret, and White-tailed Hawk (now very rare or perhaps extirpated on mainland Bonaire). During tern and plover surveys in July 2001, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Green Heron, Snowy Egret, Black-necked Stilt, and Black-bellied Plover were among the waterbirds noted. Landbirds seen included several flocks of Bare-eyed Pigeon flying in from mainland Bonaire, Eared Dove, Common Ground Dove, a single Brown-throated Parakeet, Gray Kingbird, Tropical Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler, Bananaquit and relatively high densities of ruby-topaz hummingbirds. Non-bird biodiversity: Three land snails endemic to Bonaire and seven endemic to the ABC islands have been documented from Klein Bonaire. One species of lizard endemic to Bonaire, two endemic to the ABC islands and on subspecies endemic to Bonaire have been documented from Klein Bonaire. The island is the most important sea turtle nesting locations on Bonaire with, for example, 29 hawksbill sea turtle nests and 14 loggerhead sea turtle nests, documented on Klein Bonaire in 2005. These species as well as the green sea turtle have also been regularly documented feeding in the waters surrounding Klein Bonaire.

Delineation rationale: Mark has the shapefile.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Most of island covered in rather low shrubs dominated by Croton flavens (rock sage), Lantana involucrata (wild sage), Cordia currassavica (black sage), Corchorus hirsutus (jack-switch), Jatropha gossypiifolia (wild physic nut), and Passiflora suberosa (passion flower). Approximately 36 ha of salinas exist along the shoreline sections of the island. These along with other open areas along the shoreline provide the important nesting sites for terns and important nesting and feeding areas for plovers.

Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	33
Shrubland	33
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	33

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Disturbance from occasional visitors to the island and depredation of nests and eggs by cats (and possibly mice and rats, if still present), are likely greatest current potential threats to nesting terns.

Additional information