Glorieuses Islands (6770)
French Southern Territories, Antarctica

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: D1a

Year of last assessment: 2014

National site name: Les Glorieuses

Central coordinates: Latitude: -11.5520, Longitude: 47.3410

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 15

Area of KBA (km²): 60.55844

Protected area coverage (%): 100.00

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The site comprises the smaller of the two islands of the Glorieuses Archipelago, which lie in the north of the Mozambique Channel, almost equidistant from Mayotte, Aldabra and Madagascar, but 180 km west of the northernmost tip of the latter. The larger island, Grande Glorieuse, is highly degraded and of little ornithological interest. Ile du Lys is a low (up to 15 m) coral islet 10 km north-east of Grande Glorieuse. The two are connected by sandbanks that are exposed at low tide. The vegetation is patchy evergreen bushland and thicket covering around 30% of the islet.

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. 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 for key species. Ile du Lys supports a very large colony of Sterna fuscata, in addition to a small population (around 100 pairs in 1994) of nesting Anous stolidus. No landbirds occur. In 1996, Grande Glorieuse held seven landbird species, with no endemic species or subspecies. In the past, eight additional seabird species bred there. Non-bird biodiversity: The islet is a nesting site for the sea-turtle Chelonia mydas (EN).

Delineation rationale: Type 1 marine IBA: suitable for the seaward extension approach.

Habitats

Land use: nature conservation and research | not utilised

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The islet was made a Nature Reserve in 1975. Classification as a Strict Nature Reserve (by Arrêté Ministériel) is needed to improve the site’s protection (see ‘Conservation infrastructure and protected-area system’). Rats (probably Rattus norvegicus) are abundant and may limit seabird populations. Illegal landing by sailors and tourists is less frequent than in the past, but still causes occasional disturbance to the seabird colony.

Additional information