Christian Cove (20877)
Antigua and Barbuda, Caribbean

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Christian Cove

Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.0423, Longitude: -61.7428

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 5

Area of KBA (km²): 0.95325

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Christian Cove IBA is at the head of Willoughby Bay on the south-east coast of Antigua, just north of Christian Point. The IBA is south-east of Bethesda Dam IBA (AG012). The road to Bethesda forms the western boundary of the IBA. Christian Cove is a wetland basin comprising fringing mangroves (shorter mangroves to the north and taller stands on the south-east side), saltmarsh, and a small freshwater marsh. The freshwater marsh is in the north-western corner of the IBA, and is fed by a stream that is bisected by the Bethesda road. Dry woodland of manchineel Hippomane mancinella and Acacia spp. surrounds the wetland.

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: This IBA is globally significant for its population of 400 Laughing Gulls Larus atricilla. The wetland supports a wide diversity of shorebirds and waterbirds (including ducks, herons, egrets and terns). The Vulnerable West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea and Near Threatened Piping Plover Charadrius and Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis have all been recorded, although not in significant numbers. Non-bird biodiversity: Nothing recorded.

Habitats

Land use: tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Forest	50
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	50

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Christian Cove is state owned but is not protected in any way, and there are currently no conservation efforts being implemented at the site. Development pressures are a constant threat to these wetlands.

Additional information

References: Bacon, PR., (1991);Bunce, L., (1993);Caribbean Conservation Association. (1991);Lindsay, k. and Horwith, B. (1997);MacPherson, J. (1973);Martin-Kaye, P., (1969);Martin-Kaye, P., (1959);Pregill, GKD et al.(1994);Raffaele, H., et al. (1998); Spencer, W (1981)