Santo Mountain Chain (27485)
Vanuatu, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Santo Mountain Chain
Central coordinates: Latitude: -15.1670, Longitude: 166.7810
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 500 to 1879
Area of KBA (km2): 1683.59791
Protected area coverage (%): 1.23
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site comprises the mountain chain running down the western side of Espiritu Santo. It encompasses the five highest mountain peaks in the country, Mt Tabwemasana, Mt Kotamtam, Mt Tawaloala, Mt Santo and Mt Lolohoe.
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. KBA identified by the 2012 CEPF East Melanesia Ecosystem Profile process. Taxonomy and threat status follow the 2011 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Both the endangered Sant Cruz Ground Dove and the Vulnerable Santo Starling have been reported at this site, but rarely, in the last 40 years. Both the vulnerable Palm Lorikeet and Vanuatu Imperial-pigeon are present in good numbers inthe mountain range, and are more common above 500m - hence the lower altitudinal limit.
Delineation rationale: The total length of the Santo Mountain range over the, arbitrarily decided, height of 500m asl.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Montane forest begins at 500m elevation and grades rapidly into stunted cloud forest on or near the summits. Cloud caps prevail throughout most of the year in all summit areas. The cloud forest is characterised by stunted trees with gnarled crowns, by trunks and branches covered by bryophytes and filmy ferns, and by an accumulation of peaty organic overlying strongly leached acid and often waterlogged soils. The predominant tree genera comprise Metrosideros, as well as Elaeocarpus, Macaranga, Ficus and Blancops.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 95 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist montane |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There has been movement of villages away from the site and down to the coastal areas - so disturbance has declined in the last 30-40 years. The presence of invasive species is not known, but is potentially a threat, particularly for the ground-dove.