Huvalu and environs (27469)
Niue (to New Zealand), Oceania
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2008
National site name: Huvalu and environs
Central coordinates: Latitude: -19.0863, Longitude: -169.8200
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 68
Area of KBA (km2): 41.33094
Protected area coverage (%): 95.28
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Huvalu and Environs IBA comprises 5.4km2 of the terrestrial land area of Niue, and is centred on the Huvalu Conservation Area.
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: Niue is an EBA secondary area, noted for 4 restricted range species, Purple-capped fruit dove, Polynesian Triller, Polynesian Starling and Blue-crowned Lorikeet. The first three of these are common across Niue in the wooded part of the island, while the Lorikeet is rather morer scarce - but reported most frequently on or around the Huvalu Conservation Area.
Delineation rationale: 2015-10-20 (BL Secretariat): IBA includes the KBA 'Huvalu Forest Conservation Area' (CEPF Ecosystem Profile 2007).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The Huvalu Conservation Area, and Environs, primaily encompasses the mature and secondary forests, but also extend to other natural vegetation vegetation types. The mature forest has a high, closed canopy dominated by Sysgium richii and S. inophylloides with Dysoxylum forsteri, Planchonella torricellensis, Pometia pinnata and Macaranga seemanii. A range of climbers, other trees and ferns form the understorey and ground layers. Secondary forest lacks the upper canopy layer of the mature forest and is dominated by a wide range of pioneer species such as Hibiscus tiliaceous and Baccaurea seemanii.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Hunting, in particular for Pacific Imperial-Pigeon and Tongan Flying Fox, is thought to be reducing populations of these species substantially. There is little evidence, however, that this is impacting on the priority species of the IBA. Both black rats and pacific rats are present on the island, with black rats common in the forested areas. The extent to which these have impacted on the bird populations, and in particular reduced the lorikeet population to current levels, is unclear.