Mouth of the Cirque de Salazie (6764)
Réunion (to France), Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Mouth of the Cirque de Salazie
Central coordinates: Latitude: -21.0000, Longitude: 55.5833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 160 to 1430
Area of KBA (km2): 22.3161
Protected area coverage (%): 84.31
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site covers the gorges of the Rivière du Mat and the Bras de Caverne, together with associated plateau areas from 160 m to 1,430 m. The Rivière du Mat drains the Cirque de Salazie, leaving it through a gorge a few hundred metres across. The Bras de Caverne drains the Bélouve plateau, above and south-east of the same cirque, and flows into the Rivière du Mat close to the narrowest point of the gorge. The tall cliffs resulting from powerful erosion are partly covered with well-preserved stands of mixed moist evergreen lowland forest; extensive scree and bare rock also occur. The floor of the gorge contains the riverbed, a road and a few habitations and cultivated areas.
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.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 2 for key species. The site is particularly important for Puffinus lherminieri (about 10 colonies), Circus maillardi (8–12 pairs in 1998) and Collocalia francica (probably several colonies), but also supports a typical community of native, forest-living birds. Non-bird biodiversity: Endemic plant communities: wide diversity of native plants.
Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | not utilised
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The precipitous terrain provides natural protection to this site, and site-specific threats are minimal, mainly relating to expansion of agriculture in the flatter lowland areas.
Additional information
References: Anon. (1998), Barré (1988), Barré et al. (1996), Bretagnolle et al. (2000), Cadet (1980), Cheke (1987b), Clouet (1978), Dupont et al. (1989), Ghestemme et al. (1998), Guillermet and Guillermet (1986).