Kalambatritra Special Reserve (6604)
Madagascar, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Réserve Spéciale de Kalambatritra
Central coordinates: Latitude: -23.3580, Longitude: 46.5000
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 850 to 1600
Area of KBA (km2): 312.4165
Protected area coverage (%): 71.14
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kalambatritra is located 40 km east of Betroka. The terrain of undulating hills and steep summits is part of the Antaivondro-Kalambatritra mountain chain. Many clear and permanent tributaries of the Mangoky and the Ionaivo have their sources in the reserve. The low- and mid-altitude, dense, humid evergreen forest is little disturbed, and has a canopy 15–25 m high with emergents reaching 30 m. Characteristic trees include figs Ficus, Dalbergia and tree-ferns Cyathea. The humus layer is 10–25cm thick. Savannas of coarse grass (Aristida, Imperata) divide the forest into blocks, and a strip of bracken Pteridium borders the forest. The border of the protected area includes large areas of savanna.
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. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. Seventy-four species are known from the site, of which 45 are endemic to Madagascar. The species found are characteristic of humid forest, despite the site being located at the edge of the Eastern forest area. Non-bird biodiversity: Lemurs: Eulemur fulvus collaris (VU), E. rubriventer (VU).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 3 | |
| Savanna | 44 | |
| Forest | 38 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Unknown | 6 | |
| Shrubland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Grazing of livestock is the only human activity known to constitute a threat.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Persecution/control | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Trend Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Nicoll and Langrand (1989).