Piper Islands (23970)
Australia, Australasia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2009

National site name: Piper Islands

Central coordinates: Latitude: -12.2468, Longitude: 143.2198

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 2

Area of KBA (km²): 11.34171

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA consists of the Piper Islands in the inner northern Great Barrier Reef, off the Olive River mouth south of Cape Grenville on the northern Cape York Peninsula. The IBA consist of all four islands: Beesley (2.4 ha cay with grasses and herbs), which is in the same reef as Baird (1 ha coral and shingle with mangroves) and, about 1 km away, Farmer (7 ha cay with grass/shrub exterior and wooded interior dominated by Pisonia grandis to 4 m high), which is in the same reef as Fisher (3 ha coral shingle with scrub and adjacent mangroves). The mangroves are dominated by Rhizophora stylosa and Avicennia marina and grow to 5 m high. There are only single records of more than 1% of the world population of any bird on both Farmer and Baird but all four islands are poorly surveyed. Other nearby islands, notably Quoin (4000 pairs Common Noddy in 1984-1986; 2200 pairs Black Noddy in 1990; 500-600 pairs Lesser Frigatebird in 1980-1981), could be added to the IBA if further surveys indicated higher numbers of birds on these islands. The islands and all surrounding seas are in the general use zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

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 have not been documented for this IBA. Non-bird biodiversity: Hawksbill Turtles.

Other site values: Australian Federal Government with management the responsibility of GBRMPA.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research (100%)

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal	5
Marine Coastal/Supratidal	48
Forest	48

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Monitor numbers and breeding success of Black Noddy and Pied Imperial-Pigeon colonies. Raise awareness of likely impacts of sea-level rise and sea warming.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Human intrusions & disturbance	Recreational activities		Ongoing
Climate change & severe weather	Storms & flooding		Only in the future

Additional information

References: GBRMPA (1997) Guidelines for Managing Visitation to Seabird Breeding Islands. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority unpublished report. King, B.R. and Limpus, C.J. (1991) Piper Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Corella 15: 53-54. Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service (2007) GBR seabird database (accessed May 2007).