Cape Sainte Marie Special Reserve and extension (6598)
Madagascar, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Réserve Spéciale du Cap Sainte-Marie et extension
Central coordinates: Latitude: -25.5860, Longitude: 45.2110
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 110 to 199
Area of KBA (km2): 126.13153
Protected area coverage (%): 28.34
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This site, also called Cape Vohimena, is located 60 km south-west of Tsihombe. It is the southernmost headland in Madagascar, lying on a calcareous plateau. Soils are sandy. Steep cliffs delimit the southern and western boundaries of the site. There are no permanent watercourses in the area, only small, temporary streams that flow to the sea following rare heavy rain. Wind-stunted xerophilous bushland (up to 1.2 m) covers c.90% of the site. The most common woody species are Commiphora and Salvadora, with local species of Aloe and Megistostegium also present.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Hotspot (2014). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Thirty-six species are known from this site, of which 18 are endemic to Madagascar. There is a large population of Coua verreauxi at the site. Non-bird biodiversity: Reptile: Geochelone radiata (VU); a very large population occurs in the reserve.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 95 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Various pressures threaten the site. A lighthouse was erected within the reserve in 1971, and the employees and their families live nearby. They have cleared some 5 ha of the bushland for food cultivation. Intensive goat-grazing also occurs. Several tons of leaves, seeds and roots are collected each year for sale in traditional medicine. In 1985, workers from Tolagnaro, who were building new facilities around the lighthouse, consumed tortoises Geochelone radiata found in the area.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Hawkins (1995e), Nicoll and Langrand (1989).