Mount Cofano, Cape San Vito and Mount Sparagio (2832)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Monte Cofano, Capo San Vito e Monte Sparagio
Central coordinates: Latitude: 38.0500, Longitude: 12.7833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1110
Area of KBA (km2): 150.04562
Protected area coverage (%): 98.59
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A mountain peninsula along the northern coast of Sicily, west of the town of Castellamare del Golfo, and including the following localities: Monte Sparagio, Monte Cofano, Monte Inici, Capo Puntazza, Lo Zingaro, Monte Speziale, and S. Vito lo Capo. The main habitats are rocky sea cliffs, stony and sand beaches, maquis, garrigue and cultivated land. The main land-uses are cultivation, stock-rearing and tourism.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: An important breeding area for raptors and for five of the 20 species of the Mediterranean biome.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (20%) | forestry (5%) | hunting (25%) | nature conservation and research (23%) | tourism/recreation (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 24 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 | |
| Shrubland | 43 | |
| Forest | 7 | |
| Marine Oceanic | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are the burning of vegetation (in 1996 practically all of `Lo Zingaro' reserve was burned), and afforestation projects.