Shiant Isles (2593)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Shiant Isles
Central coordinates: Latitude: 57.8970, Longitude: -6.3607
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 125
Area of KBA (km2): 2.12113
Protected area coverage (%): 99.97
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Two large and two small islands with associated skerries, lying about 6 km west of Lewis in the Minch. The vegetation consists primarily of maritime heath and grassland. The islands support breeding seabirds and wintering and passage Greenland Branta leucopsis.
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: First identified in 1989; no significant boundary changes since then. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (90%) | not utilised (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 10 | |
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Shrubland | 80 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Ongoing |