Key Biodiversity Areas

Maria (24326)
French Polynesia, Oceania

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Maria
Central coordinates: Latitude: -21.8000, Longitude: -154.7000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 1.84587
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: Atoll fermé, situé à l'extrème ouest de l'archipel des Australes. Il est inhabité et comprend quatre îlots dont deux dépendent de Rimatara et deux de Rurutu dont les habitants exploitaient occasionellement la cocoteraie aujourd'hui abandonnée.
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.
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 1348 ha to 205 ha.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal25
Shrubland25
Marine Neritic25
Artificial - Terrestrial25

Additional information


References: Pierce, R., Raust, P., Wragg, G. 2003. Report on an avifauna survey of atolls in the Tuamotu and Austral Archipelagos, French Polynesia. Wildlands consultants, Whangarei: 43 pp.