Curtis Island (23912)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Curtis Island

Central coordinates: Latitude: -39.4717, Longitude: 146.6472

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 335

Area of KBA (km²): 1.49943

Protected area coverage (%): 99.02

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Curtis Island is located north west of Flinders Island in the Bass Strait. Curtis Island is oriented south-west and is dominated by steep cliffs along the coastline. The 1.78m long ridge rises from north to south at a steady rate and is broken into two peaks. The northern peak is rounded and reaches 224.3m high while the southern peak reaches 335.3m high and is square-capped and vegetated. The soils are a mixture of granite gravels and bird-derived organic matter. Curtis Island is a significant island because of its soil type and species diversity (Brothers et al. 2001).

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: Other birds recorded include Little Penguin (1000 pairs), Fairy Prion (70 pairs), Pacific Gull (22 pairs), Sooty Oystercatcher (3 pairs), Cape Barren Goose (2 pairs with 2 goslings each), White-bellied Sea-Eagle (nest found), Swamp Harrier, Brown Falcon, Little Eagle, Olive Whistler, Forest Raven (Brothers et al. 2001). The numbers of nesting penguin may be much larger; and Australasian Gannet roost on a rock stack next to Cone Island (Rachael Alderman & Rosemary Gales in litt. 2008). Non-bird biodiversity: Other animals present on Curtis Island include the Metallic Skink, Bougainvilles Skink, White's Skink and the White-lipped Whip Snake. No mammals were recorded. Other vegetation includes Disphyma crassifolium, Carpobrotus rossii and Stipa (Brothers et al. 2001).

Other site values: Owned by the Tasmanian State Government and managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Water. Permission should be sought from DPIW before visiting this Nature Reserve.

Habitats

Land use: not utilised (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Grassland	63
Shrubland	6
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	31

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: This island group warrants stringent visitation restrictions given its isolation and relatively pristine nature.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Transportation & service corridors	Shipping lanes		Ongoing

Additional information

References: Brothers, N., Pemberton, D., Pryor, H. & Halley, V. (2001) Tasmania's Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art gallery: Hobart. Skira, I.J., Brothers, N.P. & Pemberton, D. (1996) Distribution, abundance and conservation status of Short-tailed Shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris in Tasmania, Australia. Marine Ornithology 24: 1-14.