Gunner's Quoin (6656)
Mauritius, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2001

National site name: Gunner's Quoin

Central coordinates: Latitude: -19.9333, Longitude: 57.6167

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 163

Area of KBA (km²): 0.72247

Protected area coverage (%): 8.17

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Also known as Coin de Mire, this site is the closest to the mainland (8 km) of the five northern islets of Mauritius; some publications give its area as 76 ha. It is a basaltic or tuff island, largely encircled by cliffs. The eastern side is low and flat, while a central ridge encircles a valley and joins the summit ridge that runs across the western end. The vegetation is heavily modified and dominated by exotics; most is presently exotic thorn scrub, grassland and cliff. The islet is visited by local people for recreation, hunting exotic hares Lepus nigricollis and poaching seabirds. Catholic and Hindu shrines are present. Most tourists visit the reefs offshore, but few the land. The islet is named for its shape, like a wedge used by gunners to hold field guns in place.

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)

Additional biodiversity: See Box for key species. No threatened or restricted-range bird species are present, but the site is included because of its high potential for rehabilitation and exotic mammal eradication, a process that has already begun. Small numbers of Phaethon rubricauda, P. lepturus and Puffinus pacificus nest; rehabilitation could allow large population increases and perhaps also establishment of other species including Pterodroma arminjoniana. Non-bird biodiversity: Plants: rare, endemic plant species characteristic of the northern islets include Lomatophyllum tormentorii (stronghold for this species, E), Latania loddigesii (palm, E), Pandanus vandermeerschi (V), Dracaena concinna (other populations on Round Island—where introduced—and Ile aux Aigrettes, E). Reptiles: Nactus coindemirensis, Gongylomorphus bojerii (endemic to Mauritian islets).

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Ecological surveys were carried out in 1982, when the gecko Nactus coindemirensis was discovered. In 1993, active plans for ecological rehabilitation began, including eradication of problem animals and marooning of native vertebrates (including birds). In 1995, Rattus norvegicus was eradicated (Rattus rattus was not present); Lepus nigricollis was reduced, but not eradicated. Problem weeds are Flacourtia indica, Lantana camara, Cordia curassavica and Opuntia vulgaris. Additional threats to native wildlife (including any species marooned in future) include invasion by exotic animals (especially rats) and new exotic plants, poaching (for seabirds; still a serious problem in 1995), cyclones and possibly diseases.

Additional information