Key Biodiversity Areas

Grand Sud Marin (31332)
New Caledonia (to France), Australasia

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Grand Sud Marin
Central coordinates: Latitude: -21.7386, Longitude: 166.5960
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 2180.25755
Protected area coverage (%): 13.50
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 25 km around Île Nemou to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Tahiti Petrel based upon a 2012 population estimate of 50 - 249 individuals from Baudat-Franceschi, J. (2012) Preliminary update on seabirds' IBAs in New Caledonia. Societe Caledonienne d'Ornithologie, 28/09/2012; a seaward extension of 25 km around Dent de Saint-Vincent to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2007 population estimate of 4,000 - 8,000 breeding pairs from Spaggiari, J., Chartendrault, V. and Barre, N. (2007) Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux de Nouvelle-Caledonie. Societe caledonienne d'ornitholoie - SCO et BirdLife International. Noumea, Nouvelle-Caledonie. 216pp; and a seaward extension of 25 km around Massifs du Grand Sud - entre le mont Humboldt et la rivière Bleue to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2004 population estimate of 1,000 - 10,000 breeding pairs from Brooke, M. (2004) Albatrossess and Petrels across the World. Oxford University Press, New York.
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 25 km around Île Nemou to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Tahiti Petrel based upon a 2012 population estimate of 50 - 249 individuals from Baudat-Franceschi, J. (2012) Preliminary update on seabirds' IBAs in New Caledonia. Societe Caledonienne d'Ornithologie, 28/09/2012; a seaward extension of 25 km around Dent de Saint-Vincent to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2007 population estimate of 4,000 - 8,000 breeding pairs from Spaggiari, J., Chartendrault, V. and Barre, N. (2007) Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux de Nouvelle-Caledonie. Societe caledonienne d'ornitholoie - SCO et BirdLife International. Noumea, Nouvelle-Caledonie. 216pp; and a seaward extension of 25 km around Massifs du Grand Sud - entre le mont Humboldt et la rivière Bleue to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2004 population estimate of 1,000 - 10,000 breeding pairs from Brooke, M. (2004) Albatrossess and Petrels across the World. Oxford University Press, New York.
Delineation rationale: The site boundary is based upon a seaward extension of 25 km around Île Nemou to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Tahiti Petrel based upon a 2012 population estimate of 50 - 249 individuals from Baudat-Franceschi, J. (2012) Preliminary update on seabirds' IBAs in New Caledonia. Societe Caledonienne d'Ornithologie, 28/09/2012; a seaward extension of 25 km around Dent de Saint-Vincent to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2007 population estimate of 4,000 - 8,000 breeding pairs from Spaggiari, J., Chartendrault, V. and Barre, N. (2007) Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux de Nouvelle-Caledonie. Societe caledonienne d'ornitholoie - SCO et BirdLife International. Noumea, Nouvelle-Caledonie. 216pp; and a seaward extension of 25 km around Massifs du Grand Sud - entre le mont Humboldt et la rivière Bleue to encompass high use and transit areas of IBA threshold numbers of Gould's Petrel based upon a 2004 population estimate of 1,000 - 10,000 breeding pairs from Brooke, M. (2004) Albatrossess and Petrels across the World. Oxford University Press, New York.

Habitats


IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Neritic100

Threats


Threat level 1Threat level 2Threat level 3Timing
PollutionIndustrial & military effluentsOil spillsOngoing
PollutionExcess energyLight pollutionOngoing
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