Fonualei (24504)
Tonga, Oceania
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, B1
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Fonualei
Central coordinates: Latitude: -18.0167, Longitude: -174.3217
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 195
Area of KBA (km2): 4.0314
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Fonualei IBA comprises the whole island of Fonualei which supports a recently established population of the Tongan megapode Megapodius pritchardii, and another globally threatened species, the friendly ground-dove Gallicolumba stairi. The island is an isolated active volcano, approximately 200 ha in area and the megapodes lay their eggs in soil heated by volcanic ducts. The sooty tern Sterna fusca nests in very large numbers on the island and two restricted range species, the wattled honeyeater Foulehaio carunculata and the Polynesian starling Aplonis tabuensis occur on the island.
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: Fonualei is known primarily for its large colony of sooty tern Sterna fuscata which was estimated at over 100,000 in 1980 (Jenkins 1980). In 2003, there were three colonies on the island, the largest in the crater was over one hectare in area and quite densely packed (Watling 2003). More recently, Fonualei has become better known because of the successful translocation to the island of the Tongan megapode Megapodius pritchardii (Beaudry et al. 1997; Watling 2003) by Dieter Rinke and staff of the Tongan Wildlife Centre in 1993. Also occurring on the island is the friendly ground-dove Gallicolumba stairi, the wattled honeyeater Foulehaio carunculata and the Polynesian starling Aplonis tabuensis. The Whitney South Seas Expedition collected on the island, August 25 1925, their collections included a vagrant pintail duck Anas acuta, the only record ever in the region. Non-bird biodiversity: There is no plant list for Fonualei and nothing recorded on faunal groups other than the birds.
Delineation rationale: 2012-12-17 (BL Secretariat): original polygon clipped to hi-res coastline following identification in October 2012 of new marine IBA offshore this site; site area consequently changed from 400 ha to 403 ha.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Fonualei is an isolated island about 65 km north west of Vava’u. It is a round volcanic cone with a fumarolically active crater, approximately 1.5km across, which rises to about 195m. There are steep cliffs on all but the eastern side. There is a fresh lava flow extending from a breach of the crater to the south west, extending to the sea where it forms a rugged shoreline. Eruptions in 1846/7 and in 1864 covered Vava'u with ash which also blew onto ships 800 km away. There were new lava flows in 1939 and explosions in 1943. Significant eruptions took place in 1946/7 which formed a new cone inside the crater (Crane 1992). Fonualei island (photo: courtesy of Rene Dekker in Watling 2003). Thermal vents and areas of warmed soil from which steam rises early on cool mornings can be seen at several places around the island. Most of Fonualei is barren, relatively recent larva flows with myriads of small cliffs and ravines of jagged black larva covered in vines, ferns and shrubs. There are small areas of stunted trees up to 5 m, dominated by Macaranga harveyi, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Morinda citrifolia and Ficus scabra and only in a few steep gulleys and slopes, but for the most part vegetation is either absent or comprised of 1-3m shrubs of these and other species (Watling pers.obs.).
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 | |
| Shrubland | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Fonualei is difficult to land on, very isolated and has no agricultural potential. It is rarely visited by people. The greatest threat to the avifauna at present would appear to be volcanic eruption.
Additional information
References: Beaudry, J., F. Tutu’alao, L.Matavalea. 1997. Report on bird survey to Fonualei and Late, September-October 1996. Unpubl. Report. Tongan Wildlife Centre, Tongatapu Crane, W. 1992. The Environment of Tonga: A Geography Resource. Wendy Crane Books, Lower Hutt. Jenkins, J.A.F. 1980. Seabird records from Tonga-an account based on the literature and recent observations. Notornis 27:205-235. Prescott, N. and P. S. Folaumoetu’i (Editors). 2004. Tonga Biodiversity Stocktaking. Technical Report 1 for the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Dept. of Environment, Nuku’alofa Stattersfield, A.J., M.J. Crosby, A.J. Long, and D.C. Wege. 1998. Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for biodiversity conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series no. 7, BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. 846 pp. Taylor and Ewart, 1997 Watling, D. 2003. Report on a Visit to Late and Fonualei Islands, Vava'u Group, Kingdom of Tonga. Unpublished Report to the Van Tienhoven Foundation.