Enderbury Island (27455)
Kiribati, Oceania

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2012

National site name: Enderbury Island

Central coordinates: Latitude: -3.1272, Longitude: -171.0837

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 4

Area of KBA (km²): 6.10539

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Enderbury s a low coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef. The island rises steeply from the ocean floor, then from the shore rises to a beach crest before descending to a low-lying interior basin where a small hypersaline orange-coloured lagoon is found

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: The island is an important seabird colony Non-bird biodiversity: Most important Green turtle nesting area in the Phoenix group.

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 510 ha (non-GIS) to 611 ha (GIS).

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: The island has been unoccupied since 1979. Vegetation on the island consists of atoll scrub and grasses with a few stands of low trees. There are small numbers of coconut palms.

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Pacific rats are common on the island. Cats were formerly present.

Additional information