Lowendal Islands (26484)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Lowendal Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: -20.6465, Longitude: 115.5655
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 30
Area of KBA (km2): 1.61928
Protected area coverage (%): 91.07
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Lowendal Archipelago is about 120 km off Onslow on the Pilbara coast. It is about 10 km north-east of Barrow Island IBA and 15 km south of Montebello Islands IBA. The archipelago consists of 34 islands and islets, of which the largest, Varanus Island, is 83 ha, measuring 2.5 km by 600 m. Other large islands include Abutilon (27 ha), Bridled (27 ha), Parkinsonia (10 ha) and Beacon (1.5 ha); all are included in the IBA as Crested Tern colonies move between islands and they have nested on at least three of these five large islands, and Bridled Terns nest on another large island and probably in smaller numbers across the archipelago. The islands are raised limestone rocks with sparse vegetation. Varanus has an industrial gas separation plant, oil storage tanks and a pipeline to load oil into tankers moored offshore. Inshore waters support coral reefs, sea-grass and algae beds. Several oil drilling platforms and an oil processing platform, Harriet Alpha, are located a few kilometres offshore.
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: 6000 pairs of Roseate Terns nested in 1997, probably a temporary re-location of the population nesting on the Montebello Islands. Estimated numbers of other breeding seabirds include 800 pairs of Wedge-tailed Shearwater, 600 pairs of Pied Cormorant, 700 pairs of Lesser Crested Tern (in 1997-1999), less than 100 pairs of Caspian Tern and 2000 pairs of Silver Gull (Nicholson ref).
Other site values: Varanus Island managed by DEC as part of Lowendal Islands Nature Reserve (class C) but 30 ha leased to Apache Energy for oil and gas production.
Habitats
Land use: energy production and mining | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 67 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 33 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Minimise risk of oil spills and gas explosions. Monitor breeding numbers and success of seabirds.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Oil & gas drilling | Only in the future |
Additional information
References: Dunlop, J.N. (1996) Habituation to human disturbance by breeding Bridled Terns Sternus anaethetus. Corella 20: 13-16. Nicholson, L.W. (2002) Breeding strategies and Community Structure in an Assemblage of Tropical Seabirds on the Lowendal Islands, Western Australia. Unpublished PhD. Thesis for Murdoch University. Nicholson, L.W. and Surman, C.A. (2006) Monitoring of annual variation in seabird breeding colonies throughout the Lowendal Group of islands: 2006 Annual Report. Unpublished Report prepared for Apache Energy Ltd by Halfmoon Biosciences. Surman, C.A. and L.W. Nicholson (2005) Monitoring of annual variation in seabird breeding colonies throughout the Lowendal Group of islands: 2005 Annual Report. Unpublished report prepared for Apache Energy Ltd by Halfmoon Biosciences. Surman, C.A. and Nicholson, L.W. (2007) Monitoring of annual variation in seabird breeding colonies throughout the Lowendal Group of islands: 2007 Annual Report. Unpublished report prepared for Apache Energy Ltd by Halfmoon Biosciences. Surman, C.A. and Nicholson, L.W. (2008) Monitoring of annual variation in seabird breeding colonies throughout the Lowendal Group of islands: 2008 Annual Report. Unpublished report prepared for Apache Energy Ltd. by Halfmoon Biosciences.
Contributors: The data was kindly provided by Apache Energy Ltd through their annual Seabird Monitoring Program undertaken by Halfmoon Biosciences (CA Surman and LW Nicholson).