Key Biodiversity Areas

Uracus Marine (30985)
Northern Mariana Islands (to USA), Oceania

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Uracus Marine
Central coordinates: Latitude: 20.5442, Longitude: 144.8947
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 15855.58498
Protected area coverage (%): 96.81
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 70 km around Uracus to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of waterbirds based upon a 1988 population estimate of 95,000 breeding pairs, Brown Noddy based upon a 1988 population estimate of 6,000 breeding pairs and Red-tailed Tropicbird based upon a 1988 population estimate of 200 breeding pairs from Reichel, J. and Glass, P. (1991) Checklist of the birds of the Mariana Islands. 'Elapiao, 5(1): 3-11.
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: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 70 km around Uracus to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of waterbirds based upon a 1988 population estimate of 95,000 breeding pairs, Brown Noddy based upon a 1988 population estimate of 6,000 breeding pairs and Red-tailed Tropicbird based upon a 1988 population estimate of 200 breeding pairs from Reichel, J. and Glass, P. (1991) Checklist of the birds of the Mariana Islands. 'Elapiao, 5(1): 3-11.
Delineation rationale: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 70 km around Uracus to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of waterbirds based upon a 1988 population estimate of 95,000 breeding pairs, Brown Noddy based upon a 1988 population estimate of 6,000 breeding pairs and Red-tailed Tropicbird based upon a 1988 population estimate of 200 breeding pairs from Reichel, J. and Glass, P. (1991) Checklist of the birds of the Mariana Islands. 'Elapiao, 5(1): 3-11.

Habitats


IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Neritic100

Threats


Threat level 1Threat level 2Threat level 3Timing
PollutionGarbage & solid wasteOngoing
Climate change & severe weatherHabitat shifting & alterationOnly in the future