Cook Strait (44638)
New Zealand, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2013
National site name: Cook Strait
Central coordinates: Latitude: -40.4880, Longitude: 173.8650
System: marine
Area of KBA (km2): 36652.57819
Protected area coverage (%): 0.25
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
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.
Delineation rationale: KH 2015: Cook Strait is a major passage or flyway for pelagic seabirds breeding outside the region, including birds from northern islands (e.g. Buller’s Shearwaters, Grey-faced Petrel), the West Coast of the South Island (e.g. Westland Petrel) and Subantarctic islands (e.g. Salvin’s Albatross, Antipodean Albatross).