Ravine de la Grande Chaloupe (6768)
Réunion (to France), Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Ravine de la Grande Chaloupe
Central coordinates: Latitude: -20.9000, Longitude: 55.3833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 800
Area of KBA (km2): 3.21009
Protected area coverage (%): 40.46
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site comprises a steep-sided valley in the dry, north-western lowlands between St-Denis and La Possession, together with the lowest part of the Ravine à Jacques, 1 km to the north-east. It contains a few habitations at the river mouths, a tourist centre and a military firing range, but around 40% of the site is protected, as it is one of the last sites on La Réunion where dry evergreen lowland forest survives. Other major habitats are secondary grassland and exotic thickets; small areas of cliff and rocky shore also occur.
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 supports a high density of breeding Circus maillardi (5–10 pairs in 1997) and two of the largest known colonies of Collocalia francica (at least two large colonies totalling c.1,000 pairs in 1998) and all the other forest-living native birds of La Réunion except Coracina newtoni. Up to 100 pairs each of three seabird species (Puffinus pacificus, P. lherminieri and Phaethon lepturus) nest, but their populations are not globally significant. Non-bird biodiversity: Dry evergreen lowland forest is the most threatened vegetation-type on the island, and supports many endemic plants.
Habitats
Land use: military | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The conservation value of the site is recognized by several authorities. In 1998, nearly half (354 ha) of the site had been acquired for conservation purposes by Le Conservatoire du Littoral (257 ha) or the Département (as an Espace Natural Sensible covering 97 ha), while the Direction Régionale de l’Environnement de la Réunion and ONF were preparing a management plan taking account of conservation and touristic values. However, the most appropriate long-term conservation strategy for the site has yet to be finalized; designation as a Nature Reserve would be justified. The main threats are fire and the effects of plant and animal introductions, including grazing by goats.
Additional information
References: Barré (1988), Barré et al. (1996), Cadet (1980), Cheke (1987b), Clouet (1978), Dupont et al. (1989), Ghestemme et al. (1998), Guillermet and Guillermet (1986).