Machipanda (49151)
Mozambique, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b
Year of last assessment: 2020
National site name: Machipanda
Central coordinates: Latitude: -18.7409, Longitude: 32.9819
System: terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 756.30211
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: Machipanda proposed KBA site covers an area of about 756 Km2 and falls under Machipanda administrative post, in Manica District, one of 9 districts of Manica Province, central Mozambique. The site is in the west of Manica district, with an elongated and narrow shape, the western boundary is the Republic of Zimbabwe. The climate in this region according to the Köppen climate classification is wet temperate type with annual average rainfall in the order of 1000 and 1200 mm. In the region there are two very distinct seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season which occurs from November to April and the cold and dry season from May to September. The annual average temperature is 21.2 oC (Tuzine et al., 2011; MAE, 2014). Vegetation in the Machipanda proposed KBA site is mainly miombo alongside with grasslands or wooded grassland (MAE, 2014). The western part that borders the Republic of Zimbabwe is characterized by mountain ranges that extend from south to north. This formation comprises basalts, rhyolites and alkaline lavas. Most outcrops form ridges and mountain ranges that reach an altitude of 1,500 to 2,000 m (MAE, 2014). The Manica region is drained by the Revuè River and its tributaries, itself a tributary of the Búzi River, which is the main hydrographic basin.
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. The current knowledge on biodiversity of the Machipanda site is very limited. It is known, however, that Machipanda is a breeding site of the Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea, listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable, and it holds a significant size of their global population. The Mozambique and Malawi Blue Swallow survey (Little, 2013) counted a total of 43 Blue Swallows at this site, the greater record in Mozambique, with a population estimate of 25-30 pairs representing about 3% of their global population estimated in 1000-1499 mature individuals (IUCN, 2019). This site is also home to a Mole assessed as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List of threatened species, the Arend’s Golden Mole Carpitalpa arendsi (VU) (Bronner, 2015). With a restricted distribution, it is closely associated with remaining patches of montane grasslands and indigenous forests, which have shrunk as a result of human activities (Bronner, 2015). Habitat modifications are thus inferred to be major potential threats to the survival of this species, given its restricted range (Bronner, 2015). Based on the distribution range, this site is estimated to support about 4 % of its global population. The quantitative analyses showed that both species reached the KBA threshold, and therefore this site is contributing significantly for global biodiversity persistence. This site is under no form of formal conservation and has no specific status. According to Little (2013) there is an active Bauxite mine in the mountains within this area. Parts of the site still have live land mines, offering some form of protection from human disturbance. According to Little (2013) the blue swallow populations are at risk of further decline if both their breeding and non-breeding habitats cannot be secured. Loss of suitable habitat is the primary listed cause of Blue Swallow population decline. Approximately 47% of the non-breeding habitat is not under any formal protection (Evans and Bouwman 2009). Therefore, it is very important to secure this site in order for this biodiversity to persist in time. Recognizing this site as a KBA would call more attention to the conservation body at the national and international levels to put measures in place which in turn, would ensure persistence of the Blue Swallow and the Arend’s Golden Mole.
Delineation rationale: The boundary was mainly delineated to encompass the range of the trigger species. The Eastern boundary was slightly enlarged to include areas believed to be suitable for the species movement. The northern part is bounded by Monde river, The eastern part is bounded mainly by the Nhamucurara river and the road (Manica-Mavonde-Nguawala), the southern part is bounded by the Revué River and the western part follow the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 50 | |
| Grassland | 30 | |
| Savanna | 20 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Air-borne pollutants | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Unknown |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Agro-industry plantations | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Agro-industry farming | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Agro-industry grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of surface water (unknown use) | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Other impacts | Only in the future | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Only in the future |