Key Biodiversity Areas

San Pietro and Sant'Antioco islands (2825)
Italy, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Isole di San Pietro e Sant'Antioco
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.1167, Longitude: 8.2000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 271
Area of KBA (km2): 144.76363
Protected area coverage (%): 36.39
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: Small islands, of volcanic origin, off the south-west corner of Sardinia. The site also includes the islets Isola del Toro and Isola della Vacca. Rocky cliffs, maquis and saltpans are the main habitats.
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: An important breeding site for seabirds and for five of the 21 species of the Mediterranean biome.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | military | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Intertidal2
Forest2
Wetlands(Inland)1
Marine Coastal/Supratidal71
Shrubland15
Artificial - Terrestrial9

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are tourism and burning of vegetation. There is a LIPU reserve (Carloforte) at Isola San Pietro to protect the colony of Falco eleonorae. The area is a proposed Regional Nature Reserve, `Isola di S. Pietro e Isole Piana, dei ratti, del Corno'.