Key Biodiversity Areas

Malden Island Marine (31027)
Kiribati, Oceania

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Malden Island Marine
Central coordinates: Latitude: -4.0130, Longitude: -154.9265
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 65101.47369
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 140 km around Malden Island to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of Lesser Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 7,000 individuals, Greater Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals, Masked Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals and Red-footed Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 5,000 individuals from Perry, R. (1980) Island of ghosts. Pacific Discovery, 33: 9-13.
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 140 km around Malden Island to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of Lesser Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 7,000 individuals, Greater Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals, Masked Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals and Red-footed Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 5,000 individuals from Perry, R. (1980) Island of ghosts. Pacific Discovery, 33: 9-13.
Delineation rationale: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 140 km around Malden Island to encompass the foraging range of IBA threshold numbers of Lesser Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 7,000 individuals, Greater Frigatebird based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals, Masked Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 3,000 individuals and Red-footed Booby based upon a 1977 population estimate of 5,000 individuals from Perry, R. (1980) Island of ghosts. Pacific Discovery, 33: 9-13.

Habitats


IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Neritic100

Threats


Threat level 1Threat level 2Threat level 3Timing
PollutionIndustrial & military effluentsOil spillsOngoing
Biological resource useFishing & harvesting aquatic resourcesUnintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Ongoing
Climate change & severe weatherHabitat shifting & alterationOnly in the future