Enewetok Atoll (24512)
Marshall Islands, Oceania
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Enewetok Atoll
Central coordinates: Latitude: 11.3500, Longitude: 162.3333
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 7.35875
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Enewetok Atoll is the northwestern most atoll in the Marshall Islands and inhabited by 664 individuals (RMI, 2011). Enewetok was the site of extensive nuclear testing during the 1950's.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The atoll is home to congregations of breeding seabirds. Non-bird biodiversity: Many endemic organisms have been identified in Enewetok, including pycnogonids, insects, and marine species (NBT, 2000). It is also home to the endemic grass Lepturopetium marshallense.
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 600 ha (non-GIS) to 736 ha (GIS).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: While Eniwetak was once used as a nuclear testing site, Carpenter et al. (1968) indicated that vegetation recovery may have allowed growing seabird populations. This improvement may have continued to today.
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Only in the future |