Cape Otranto and Cape Santa Maria di Leuca coast (2844)
Italy, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2002
National site name: Costa tra Capo d'Otranto e Capo Santa Maria di Leuca
Central coordinates: Latitude: 40.1333, Longitude: 18.5833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 128
Area of KBA (km2): 83.35654
Protected area coverage (%): 37.87
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A rocky area on the coast of south-east Puglia, south of the town of Otranto. Habitats are dominated by pseudo-steppes, garrigue, pastures and cultivated land. Cultivation and stock-rearing are the main land-uses.
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 `bottleneck' site for raptors migrating along the Adriatic coast in spring. It is considered that more than 3,000 raptors pass each spring, although there is only incomplete data from one year (1989), when a total of about 1,500 birds were counted, mainly harriers Circus and Pernis apivorus.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (65%) | hunting | tourism/recreation (10%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 7 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 82 | |
| Shrubland | 9 | |
| Forest | 2 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are fires, illegal hunting, overgrazing and the building of tourist resorts.