Christmas Island (23949)
Christmas Island (to Australia), Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1e, B1, B2, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Christmas Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: -10.4840, Longitude: 105.6378
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 361
Area of KBA (km2): 136.43119
Protected area coverage (%): 62.99
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA consists of the entire of Christmas Island as all of the island is used by some endemic bird species, and most threats need to be managed on a whole-island basis. It is located in the north-east Indian Ocean, approximately 2800 km west of Darwin and 360 km south of Java Head (Indonesia), and is administered as an Australian territory. The Island is 135 km2 of which 85 km2 (63%) is National Park. In addition, a marine park extends 50 m seaward of the low water mark for 46 km (63%) of the coastline. Australian Exclusive Economic Zone waters extend out 370 km to the east, south and west, but only to about 165 km to the north where they border the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone. Christmas Island is the summit of a submarine mountain, with coastal cliffs rising steeply to a central plateau dominated by stands of rainforest. The climate is equatorial with a wet season (north-west monsoons) from December to April and a dry season (south-east trade winds) throughout the rest of the year. Christmas Island's avian biogeography is influenced by both the Sunda and Australian aviafaunas but belongs to neither. It is biogeographically unique. The vegetation is predominantly a floristically depauperate but structurally complex rainforest at the interior of the island, with semi-deciduous vine thickets on coastal terraces. Approximately 25% of the island has been cleared of native vegetation and comprises open rocky ground, weed fields, secondary growth and urban areas (Stokes 1988; Flora of Australia 1993; Director of National Parks 2000; Johnstone and Darnell 2004).
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. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Twenty-three species of birds breed on Christmas Island. Eleven of these are endemic: five species (Papasula abbotti, Fregata andrewsi, Ducula whartoni, Ninox natalis and Zosterops natalis) and six subspecies (Phaethon lepturus fulvus, Fregata minor listeri (taxonomic revision in prep), Accipiter fasciatus natalis, Chalcochaps indica natalis, Collocalia esculenta [=linchii?] natalis and Turdus poliocephalis erythropleurus). Accipiter fasciatus natalis is probably better treated as an endemic species, although no recent taxonomic assessment has been made. It would qualify as threatened under IUCN criteria were it elevated to species rank. The Collocalia is probably an endemic subspecies of C. linchii rather than C. esculenta, on biogeographical and morphological grounds. Ducula, Chalcochaps, Collocalia, Turdus and Zosterops are abundant. Ninox and Accipiter are both uncommon, probably naturally. Three species have colonised Christmas Island since its settlement in 1888: Falco cenchroides (c. 1940s), Egretta novaehollandiae (c. 1930s) and Amaurornis phoenicurus (c. 1992). This is probably due to the creation of suitable habitat following forest clearing. Falco cenchroides is abundant but the other two are uncommon. Three species have been introduced: Gallus gallus, Passer montanus and Lonchura oryzivora; all are largely commensal and not found in natural habitats. The only other breeding landbird is Egretta sacra. Christmas Island is one of only two islands in the world where eight species of Pelicaniformes breed together. Four of these (Papasula abbotti, Fregata andrewsi, Fregata minor listeri and Phaethon lepturus fulvus) breed nowhere else. The other four are Sula sula, Sula leucogaster, Fregata ariel and Phaethon rubricauda westralis. Seven of these species breed in internationally significant numbers on Christmas Island; Fregata ariel was first reported breeding in 2002. Anous stolidius also breeds in large numbers. Approximately 100 species of migrants and vagrants have been recorded on Christmas Island, none of which regularly occur in large numbers. These species originate largely from the Sunda region but many also originate from Australia. Many have not been recorded elsewhere in Australia. Non-bird biodiversity: There are at least 225 endemic animals (species and subspecies; James 2005) and 18 endemic vascular plants (Flora of Australia 1993) on Christmas Island. Endemic animals include: four mammals; five reptiles; three marine fish; nine marine sponges; one brachypod; eight terrestrial gastropods; one terrestrial olygochaete; and 190+ arthropods (James 2005). However, there are probably many undescribed endemic terrestrial and subterranean invertebrates. The land crab fauna is diverse and unparalleled (Hicks et al. 1984). The endemic red crab plays a significant part in determining the floristics and structure of the forests. Several insect genera are endemic (James 2005). The subterranean fauna is poorly known, but may be amongst the most significant in the world (Humphries and Eberhard 2001).
Other site values: Mostly owned and managed by Parks Australia (for the federal government) and Phosphate Resources Ltd.
Delineation rationale: 2012-12-17 (BL Secretariat): original polygon clipped to hi-res coastline (marine areas removed) following identification in October 2012 of new marine IBA offshore this site; site area consequently changed from 14436 ha to 13643 ha.
Habitats
Land use: energy production and mining | nature conservation and research | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 | |
| Introduced Vegetation | 25 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Forest | 60 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Implement the Weed Management Plan, including tightened quarantine procedures. Develop and implement control programmes for a wider range of invasive animals (especially the Yellow Crazy Ant Anoplolepis gracilipes). Continue to prohibit further rainforest clearance for mine expansion.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Air-borne pollutants | Smog | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Director of National Parks (2002) Christmas Island National Park Management Plan. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Dunlop, J.N. (1988) The Status and Biology of the Golden Bosunbirds Phaethon lepturus fulvus. Unpublished report. Christmas Island: Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. Flora of Australia (1993) Flora of Australia Volume 50. Oceanic Islands 2. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. Hicks, J., Rumpff, H. and Yorkston, H. (1984) Christmas Crabs. Christmas Island: Christmas Island Natural History Society. Hill, F.A.R. (1996) The Christmas Island Hawk-Owl: Its distribution, population size and concservation status. Unpublished report. Darwin: Australian Nature Conservation Agency. Humphreys, W.F. and Ebberhard, S. (2001) Subterranean fauna of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Helicite 37: 59-74. James, D.J. (2003) A survey of Christmas Island Frigatebird nests in 2003. Unpublished report. Christmas Island: Parks Australia North. James, D.J. (2005) Christmas Island Biodiversity Programme: Quarterly report for the period October to December 2004. Unpublished report. Christmas Island: Parks Australia North. James, D.J. (2007) Christmas Island biodiversity monitoring programme: summary report, December 2003 - April 2006. Parks Australia North Christmas Island Biodiversity Monitoring Programme. Canberra: Department of Finance and Administration and Department of the Environment and Water Resources. James, D.J. (2007) Forest birds of Christmas Island: a baseline survey of abundance. Parks Australia North Christmas Island Biodiversity Monitoring Programme. Canberra: Department of Finance and Administration and Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Johnstone, R.E. and Darnell, J.C. (2004) Appendix A: Annotated Checklist of Christmas Island Birds. Pp. 439-476 in R.E. Johnstone and G.M. Storr, eds. Handbook of the Birds of Western Australia. Volume 2: Passerines (Blue-Winged Pitta to Goldfinch). Perth: Western Australian Museum. Olsen, P.D. (2004) Background Information on Abbott's Booby, Papasula abbotti. Unpublished report. Canberra: Department of Environment and Heritage. Stokes, T. (1988) A review of the birds of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service Occasional Paper 16.
Contributors: The nomination was prepared by David James (Parks Australia).